The Sharps and Flats of Life
by MarieRock
Summary: AU: Devoted cellist, Rukia Kuchiki, has her world turned upside down when Karakura High gets a new student. Not only does he have a permanent scowl, a mop of orange hair, and an attitude, but he's a piano prodigy. IchiRuki.
1. Chapter 1

Okay, so I've been thinking of another IchiRuki story I can write, and I made up a vague plot this morning while taking my English final! :D And though it's vague, it's an idea, so...yeah. :) I had less than that when I started _Far Away_! :D Ha ha! Anyway, it's like five in the morning, I'm exhausted, but I at least want to start this, so here we go.

_-:-_

I went to school that day expecting everything to be the same. All of my classes as boring as ever, that is except for Orchestra. But we had a small change of plans, nothing huge, just a new student.

I was sitting at my desk, trying to finish my homework quickly so I could turn it in on time. Our sensei walked in front of the class and clapped his hands, getting our attention. I pried my eyes away from my worksheet and looked up, seeing a strange boy standing next to Sensei.

"Listen up, kids," he said. He always called us kids, even though we were juniors in high school. Yeah, we weren't full blown adults yet or anything, but we sure weren't children. "We have a new student today. Give him a warm greeting as he introduces himself." With that he nudged the boy with his elbow, signaling for him to speak.

The guy seemed annoyed with it all. His hands were resting in his pockets of his uniform. He had a scowl on his face that made him seem intimidating, although I had a feeling he wasn't as scary as he made himself look. "Yo, I'm Kurosaki Ichigo," he said, sounding friendly, which was odd. With that glare, I expected him to just bark out his name, but this guy talked like he was refreshing one of his buddy's memories after not seeing them for a long time.

Not sure how I missed it in the first place, I now noticed the craziest thing about the new student. His hair was not only oddly spiky, but it was bright orange. The color was so brilliant that it almost looked neon.

_What a strange boy,_ I thought. _Tall, lanky, spiked hair that just happened to be bleached orange, and an orange scowl to match._

Though my internal comments seemed negative, I rose an eyebrow, finding myself interested. Nonetheless, I had to finish my Algebra before Sensei made us turn it in. While in my concentrated state I noticed Kurosaki just standing in front of the class, hands in pockets, eyebrows knitted together. I assumed many other students were staring at him, but he didn't seem to mind.

Sensei must have noticed, because he said, "Take a seat next to...," his words not distracting me as he continued to talk.

Right as I finished the last problem I noticed the new kid approach my desk, school bag slung over his torso carelessly. I looked up, arching my neck just to see his face. He quickly sat down at the desk beside mine, lifting his bag over his shoulder and dropping it to the floor. Pulling out a book from the empty-looking bag, he rested his elbows on the desk's surface and began to read. I glanced at the title and noticed that he was reading poetry. E.E. Cummings to be precise.

Sensei started riding the chalkboard of notes from his fifth hour class from the previous day. He grabbed a piece of chalk and started to jot down algebraic expressions. I quickly copied the notes and tried to pay attention. I soon realize just how hard it was with this boy, this _new_ boy, sitting in the middle of a lesson and reading instead of paying attention. I sat my pencil down and leaned over toward the guy, noticing the natural scent that clung to the air around him. "Excuse me," I whispered, getting his attention. "but, do you need anything to write with? A pencil and some paper?"

The boy, Kurosaki I finally remembered, cocked a still glaring eyebrow and quickly shook his head. "No thanks," he answered, turning back to his book.

I stayed there, face practically in his, unable to believe him. "You're not going to take notes?" I asked, the disbelief sinking into my voice.

Kurosaki shook his head again, looking more annoyed. "No."

I sighed, already bothered by this new student, and pulled away from him, writing down the notes I had missed from wasting my time on _him._

_-:-_

The next three class periods and my lunch period I realized that the new student was there! Everywhere I went, it seemed he followed. I mean, I know he wasn't stalking me, but it sort of creeped me out. Lunch was over and I went to my locker, a smile finding its way across my face. _Yes, time for Orchestra! _I thought, glad to go to my only good class. Some called me over-zealous, but I thought my passion for the subject was perfectly normal. _He can't have that class. There's no way. It just doesn't suit him._

I mounted my backpack onto my shoulders and headed toward my haven, the smile on my face wider than before. I cut through the sophomore hallway like I always did, waving to a few of my lower class men friends. Approaching the music hallway I suddenly had a weird feeling, but I didn't know what it was. I ignored the strange alert my brain was trying to give me and continued down the boldly decorated hall. Upon entering the classroom I saw what I had never expected. A lanky boy was sitting in a random chair, the only one in the room, his bright orange mop the first thing I see.

"K-Kurosaki?" I asked, stepping closer to him. He looked up at me, his glare still firmly planted on his face.

"Yeah?" he asked, again his voice sounding softer than you'd expect.

I smiled at him, still trying to be pleasant. Besides, I was still in the Orchestra room, I was in a great mood. "I think you're in the wrong room. This is the Orchestra classroom. This whole wing of the school is the music department, actually," I said, trying to be helpful.

He cocked an eyebrow slightly. Nodding his head, he said, "Yeah...I know."

"Wai-You...You're _in_ Orchestra?" I asked, obviously surprised.

"Technically," he answered.

"What do you mean?" I started, sounding more normal. "Did the office mess up your schedule or something?"

"No," he retorted, obviously annoyed. "I play the piano and they didn't have a class like at my old school. They told me I could play for the orchestra. Why? Why are you acting so surprised to see me here?"

"Well...," I began, not really knowing what to say. "You just..don't seem like the type to be into music, that's all." I still smiled although I felt guilty for being so hasty to judge.

"You don't even know me," he answered, looking more angry than annoyed.

"Look, I'm sorry-" He cut me off.

"Whatever, it's no big deal," he said, standing absently and sliding his hands into his pockets. He approached the piano and sat at the bench, stretching his long legs out as far as the instrument would allow him to. I expected him to play something, to prove himself or something like that. But he didn't, he just sat there and stared at the keys, his eys dancing across them like _they_ were his fingers. The act looked like a silent practice routine.

Feeling guilty for jumping to conclusions, I walked to the back room where the instruments were stored and grabbed my cello, along with it's accompanied pieces; cello strap, bow, music, and rosin. I sat up the area I played in daily after getting a stand and slid the in-pin out of my instrument, absently sitting the end into the crater of the cello strap. Bow in hand, I placed it on the A string and slowly pulled the bow in an effortless manor, hearing the crisp sound of perfect intonation.

Kurosaki's head rose slowly as he watched me. I ignored him politely, shifting the weight of the bow to the D string and sliding it across, the bow hairs sticking easily from the fresh rosin I had applied to them. Next was the G and then the C. All in tune. Happy with the welcoming sound of my cello, I grabbed a random piece that we had played for contest the previous year and sat it on my stand. I set my bow, index finger of my left hand pressed against the C string, the first note a D. The song, _Prelude: Rhosmydre _burst into life, the low hum of the tune pouring from the F-Holes. The sound grew and shrank with the implied crescendos and decrescendos, the notes rising and falling in scales. I had most of the song memorized, but avoided the new students gaze as he continued to watch me.

Usually I had no problem with people watching me play. I was, not to be self-righteous or anything, one of the best cellists in Karakura High's Orchestra. But something about this boy watching as I played the piece with meaning; I felt exposes as I held nothing back. But that was how I always played, I didn't care. The music meant something to me, the notes were words, a language only the instruments could speak and we, the musicians, were the translators. I knew that, I felt it while I played. But I felt like this guy was looking into my thoughts and my feelings, just by watching me play. I wasn't going to stop, it's not like he was never going to watch me play again, but I decided to forget about eye contact. At least while performing.

As other members of the orchestra started pouring in, the song ended and I placed my bow on my stand. I glanced at the boy at the piano and saw that he was still watching me. I had hoped all the people would distract him, but it didn't seem to work. I ignored it and started talking to the other cellists around me.

The class started and our director, Mr. Kaien Shiba, cleared his throat to get our attention. "You must have noticed our new member," he said, smiling and gesturing toward Kurosaki. "He's a transfer student from a school in Tokyo. Everyone, this is Kurosaki Ichigo." With that the whole class said "Welcome Kurosaki-san." in unison.

The boy held up a hand, passing it off as a wave, and said, "Just call me Ichigo," absently. Shiba-san took a quick note of that and then returned his attention back to us. "Okay, so I know it seems strange to us, but Ichigo here is going to be our pianist."

Students looked around and whispered words of confusion to one another. "Do the pieces we play even have a part for the piano?" Urryu Ishida, the leader of the first violins asked.

Shiba nodded excitedly. "Yes, of course! For example, Prelude, the song we played last year that Kuchiki was just playing, it has a wonderful piano piece! But because we were taking it to level one contest and we couldn't afford to pay an accompanist to practice with us all the time, we couldn't use it. This is going to improve our sound immensely!"

"Is he even good?" a violist questioned.

"Hear for yourself," Shiba said and smiled at Kur-Ichigo. "Go ahead, Ichigo."

Ichigo's eyebrows rose, surprised. "Uh...what should I play?" he asked.

"Anything that comes to mind."

Nodding, Ichigo slid the wooden cover up, the keys gleaming as they woke from their slumber. His foot fell upon the first pedal and his fingers lay over the keys naturally. I was even more interested than I was this morning as I sat closer to the edge of my chair.

Clearing his throat, Ichigo said, "Uh, this is called 'I' by Yiruma," he stated before looking down at the keys. Pressure was carefully applied as he began the song. It started slow, but that's how it was supposed to be. I recognized the song because it had a cello solo that I had learned my freshman year. As the song grew louder and faster, Ichigo didn't miss anything. Every note was crisp and clean, sounding perfectly in tune. I was amazed.

_Listen to this beautiful music...I think I'm in love!_ I thought jokingly, a grin spreading across my face.

_-:-_

Okay, so I stayed up until six in the morning writing this. I play the cello and a wee bit of the piano, so these things are familiar to me. I'm sorry if you think there's too much music lingo in there, but it's not all going to be like that.

So. Please review. I really want to know what you think. I really like it so far, but it's six, actually six thirty, in the morning, so I very possibly could be wrong. :)

Reviews! :D

Oh, and by the way, those songs are obviously real. If you typed them into youtube, which I highly recommend, you'll find them. I played Prelude for contest this year and loved it. I don't know I by Yiruma, but I can play the right hand of two of his other songs. (Like I said, I can play the piano some what.) Anyway, there it is. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, so I'm back already. I really like the first chapter came together. That really surprised me, ha ha! :)

Well, anyway, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and I hope my writing style is still that good when I'm conscious, lol! :D

Okay, here's chapter two!

_-:-_

The class sat in awe as Ichigo continued to perform his piece. Not only did the style sound amazing, but he was playing the whole song by memory. He looked up every now and then, glancing at the people staring at him. He met my wide gaze for a second, looking back down at his hands quickly.

As the final phrase rolled off his fingers, Ichigo allowed the sound to ring and then pulled his hands away, letting his foot off the pedal. He looked over at Shiba-san, not sure what to do next, but before our director could say a word the class erupted in applause. Some of the bass players shouted in approval. I stood, still clapping and a dozen others joined me.

Ichigo's face tinted red as he scratched the back of his neck, obviously uncomfortable. He looked extremely confused as he noticed Shiba applauding with us. Eventually we quieted down and the ones standing, including myself, sat back in our seats.

"Ichigo! That was amazing!" Shiba exclaimed, stepping next to him and slapping him on the shoulder. "You're so talented!"

"Uh...thanks...," he answered quietly, still looking uncomfortable.

"You seem so surprised," I said, never afraid to speak my mind in this class, around these people. "Hasn't anyone ever told you how great you are?"

He looked at me, obviously startled by my outburst. His broad shoulders rose slightly. "I don't know...," he answered.

I smiled back at his nervous face and ignored his lame answer, asking, "How long have you played?"

"About...three or four years," he said.

My eyebrows rose in surprise. "Really? That's all and you can play like _that_?"

Before he could answer a violist, the leader of the small but powerful section, Ryö Kunieda, said, "Of course _Rukia_ would be interested in the prodigy," a smile on her face, which was rare.

Rolling my eyes, I allowed my smile to stay planted on my face. I knew she was just teasing me. "I'm interested in his music," I answered, not at all phased by her comment. I had enough confidence in myself not to get caught up in little things like that.

The class chuckled at our conversation, still not bothering me, but I noticed Ichigo squirm on the bench, looking back down at the gleaming keys.

"Anyway," Shiba said, smiling at us. "Ichigo is now a part of our group and as you can all see, he's only to make us improve in our overall sound. So, treat him with respect and patience as he adjusts to his new school." He said and we all nodded. I knew there wasn't going to be any trouble with him unless the boy started it. No one in the orchestra was going to be a jerk to him, everyone was pretty friendly and we all managed to get along. The only reason this guy would have a problem was if he started something, but by how shy he seemed to be about his music, I doubted that would happen either.

"Okay, class, let's get out Slavonic Dance," Shiba-san said as everyone groaned, sick of practicing the song. "Ichigo," he continued, speaking over the sound of paper shifting from folders to stands. "You can go ahead into the practice rooms down the hall and practice on your own. There should be a CD player in a few of the rooms, take this and listen to the two parts, the piano and the string part."

Ichigo nodded, obediently grabbed the CD, and headed out the door, avoiding anyone's gaze. I glanced at him while he left and smiled, finding myself extremely intrigued by the quiet pianist.

_-:-_

After Orchestra, my last class of the day, I decided to stay after school and practice. I sat my cello on the floor next to my seat and saw the new boy standing in the back of the crowd alone. Everyone had been friendly to him, but he just didn't seem to respond to most of their remarks. Not like he was interested anyway.

I got an idea and impulsively approached him, my hands folded behind my back. "Hey, Ichigo," I said, getting his attention.

He looked down at me and blinked. "Yeah?"

"I just wanted to apologize again for being rude at the beginning of class," I started, smiling up at him warmly. "It was ridiculous of me to just assume you didn't belong in here. So I'm sorry."

He nodded. "It's fine."

"So," I began, starting to feel a little nervous now. "Do you have to be anywhere after school today?"

His eyebrows rose, obviously surprised by my bluntness. "Uh...no."

"Oh. Well, I was wondering if you wanted to stay after with me and practice," I said, causing him to look even more surprised. I continued to smile, although I was still extremely anxious. "You don't have to."

His gaze went to the ceiling, his mind going over his options it seemed. Finally he looked back down at me and shrugged. "Sure, I guess."

My smile widened and I nodded.

"Did you...have anything in mind?" he asked.

"Yes, actually. That song you played for the class. 'I'. I don't know if you've ever heard it, but there's a cello solo that goes along with it. I learned it a few years ago and I always wanted to put it together with the piano part, but no one I knew that plays the piano knows that song. And it was sort of lame to play with the recording. Is that alright?"

He nodded again. "Yeah, sure."

Happy by his willingness to play with me, I grabbed my cello, bow, and music, approaching him again. By now all the other students had left, the bell signaling them to exit. "Is a practice room okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, that's fine," he said. He must have thought I needed help, because he grabbed my music and my bow from me carefully and headed toward the practice rooms. Usually I would have blown up on someone who thought I couldn't carry three simple objects that I carry everyday, but he was knew and he seemed to be doing it to be polite. So I let it slide. I followed, almost jogging to keep up with his naturally fast pace.

We found a practice room that could hold both of us, having all of the rooms to chose from. Setting up our playing areas, I smiled at him and said, "This may sound cheesy, but I'm honored to play with someone as great as you,"

He gave me a funny look. "Don't say that," he said sternly, causing my smile to falter.

"But...why not? You're really amazing," I answered, my eyebrows starting to form a scowl that was similar to his.

"It's not like I'm Josef Hoffman or Beethoven or something," he answered.

"You could be like them one day. You are a prodigy after all," I stated.

"No, I'm not," he answered, more stern than before.

"Fine, I'm sorry I complimented you," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

"Whatever, let's just play," he said calmly, placing his hands on the keys, waiting for me to get ready. It took longer than he expected and he eventually removed his long fingers from the spruce keys. He looked around, still waiting on me, when he said, "_You're_ really good, you know?"

I stopped rosining my bow and looked up at him. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I said, 'You're good.'" he answered, looking over his shoulder at me.

I shrugged and nodded. "Yeah, I know," I stated, smiling at him as he tried not to allow his own smile to appear.

"Cocky much?"

I laughed and shook my head. "No, _I_ just know when to admit the truth. I'm not ashamed to have talent."

"Who said I was ashamed of it?" Ichigo said, catching onto my point.

"No one, you just act like it bothers you when you're complimented."

He shrugged and slowly shook his head, taking his gaze off of me. Changing the subject he said, "Are we going to play or what?"

"Yeah, yeah, just hold on," I answered, continuing to coat the bow hairs with rosin where it was needed. "Thank you, by the way."

He looked over his shoulder again and looked at me. "No problem," he muttered, facing the massive instrument again.

I finally finished and set the rosin back in it's plastic case ans sat it on the floor. I quickly checked the intonation of my strings, just to make sure, pulled out the music, and set my bow on the string. I counted down when Ichigo realized that I was ready and he played the intro while I counted my four measures of rest. When it was time for me to come in I pulled my bow over the string, the first note strong, like every first note should be, and began the phrase.

We played through the whole song, our decrescendos and crescendos occurring at the same time, everything fitting together like puzzle pieces. The last phrase of the piece contained a retardando and we both slowed down at the same time, the last note ringing while I used vibrato and he held his foot over the peddle. When we finished I looked up at him and smiled.

"That sounded great," I said, surprised by how well we played together, especially for the first time. "Although I must say," I started, a new strategy in mind to get through to him. "I think you played a few flats when they were supposed to be naturals."

I had a feeling this kid was going to blow up on me, one reason being that I had only heard him play one wrong note while I played a handful. But he didn't blow up. He just looked at me and nodded. "Yeah, probably. Thanks, I'll remember that."

My smile grew; I was glad he wasn't pissed off at me. "What about me?" I asked.

He cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Did you pick up on anything I did wrong?"

He shrugged, looking shy again, seeming to be afraid to share his thoughts. "It's fine, just tell me. I want to improve as much as you do," I said reassuringly.

He nodded and scooted closer to me, looking at my music. "Uh...I guess this measure sounded kind of slurred together, but I didn't think it was supposed to," he said quietly, sounding shy while he still had his scowl pasted to his brow.

I nodded, unable to notice how cute he sounded. I glanced at him as his amber eyes scanned my music and realized how cute he _looked_. His eyes were deep, holding knowledge similar to wisdom, his spiky orange hair falling over his forehead, his jaw tight and distinct. His skin was smooth and pale, but compared to me looked almost tanned, a trick of my comparison.

Ichigo looked back at me, about to say something but stopped, noticing me watching him. One of his eyebrows rose as he maintained his glare. "What?"

I smiled, my face heating up slightly. "Nothing, nothing. Sorry," I answered. "Find anything else?"

He shook his head and pulled away from me. "No, that's all."

I nodded. "Well...will you play something else for me?" I asked.

He shrugged, looking timid for the millionth time. "Sure...if you play for me," he added at the end, a small smile on his face.

I nodded. "Of course, sure."

We sat in that practice room for over two hours listening to each other carefully. Ichigo played a lot of covers such as Metallica's _Fade To Black_ arranged by Scott. D. Davis, Skillet's _Better Than Drugs_ arranged by the band, and Nirvana's _Smells Like Teen Spirit_, which he arranged himself. That was just to name a few. I played a lot of classical stuff that I had practiced for Orchestra like _Jupiter_ from The _Planets_, _La Cinquantaine_, and other contest pieces.

After we had finished practicing Ichigo came with me to the orchestra room to pack up my cello, which I did carefully, like usual. He stood behind me, handing me my bag after I finished. I thanked him absently, shutting and securing my locker. I turned around and saw him standing there, hands in pockets, still waiting for me. I smiled up at him. "Thanks for practicing with me today," I said, adjusting my backpack.

He shrugged. "No problem," he answered.

My smile widened as I headed out the door, Ichigo next to me. After talking to him and playing with him, I felt oddly close to the boy. It was the first day meeting him and he was already waiting on me so he could walk with me. He probably did it to be polite, but I still enjoyed it. Being so caught up in my music all the time, I had a hard time being close to people. But Ichigo and I had music in common. We were both so engrossed by it, it was a huge part of our lives. Or at least that's how it seemed to him and it was definitely like that for me.

When we reached the front doors of the school Ichigo pushed the door open. "You can wait for your ride inside," I said before he could leave.

"I'm walking, thanks," he said. "See ya tomorrow." With that and a slight wave, he was gone.

I sat at the bench by the doors and called my sister, Hisana, asking her to come pick me up. She was on her way and I was waiting, unable to get the new student out of my head.

_-:-_

Okay, so there's chapter 2. I hope you all enjoyed! :)

Again, let me know how you feel about it. I read chapter one when I woke up and found it still pretty good, so I hope you all find it at least a tad amusing. :P

Alright, please review! :D Please!


	3. Chapter 3

Okay, I'm back! :D

So, I'm glad some of you guys are enjoying this. I think it's a lot better for beginning chapters than my others. But I still want to know what you guys think!

Okay, here we go, chapter three!

_-:-_

Hisana's car slowly approached the entrance minutes after I had called her. She must have already been on the road, because it took her no time at all. As I sunk into the low passenger seat of the vehicle and closed the door Hisana smiled at me.

"What have you been doing here so late?" she asked, her smile growing.

"I was just practicing, that's all," I answered, slightly annoyed with her enthusiasm. _She doesn't even know Ichigo was with me, what's with this attitude?_

"Alone?" she asked, knowingly.

I sighed quietly. "No, a friend was with me."

"You made a friend?" she questioned.

"I _have_ friends, Hisana," I retorted.

"I know, Sweety, but you don't usually practice with them. I meant you made a _close_ friend?"

"I met him today, he's a new student," I said, worrying about her response.

"Oh, _him_?" she asked, only sounding half surprised. This worried me even more.

"Yes, him. Ichigo Kurosaki. He plays the piano and he's really good, I wanted to practice with him. That's it," I answered angrily.

"That makes sense. You're attracted to the _musician_," she said, laughing quietly.

"I'm **not** attracted to him!"

"I didn't mean it like that, calm down," she quickly responded, laughing again. "You're so touchy."

I sighed, my bangs fluttering in the air before returning to their assigned place between my eyes. "Whatever..."

As we started to head home I stared out the window. After a few minutes we approached a stop sign. As the car slowed down in a gentle manor, a blur of orange caught my eye. I turned around in my seat slightly, spotting Ichigo walking along the road. I was surprised that he had only gotten this far in the time it took Hisana to pick me up.

As I caught myself watching him, he looked over and noticed it was me. He waved in a friendly fashion, although his scowl was still etched into his features. I waved back, smiling. Then he turned to Hisana and waved at her, causing one of my eyebrows to raise.

After returning the gesture enthusiastically, Hisana rolled down my window, using her control pad, and said, "Hello, Kurosaki!" I gave her a confused look, barely noticing his mumbled reply to her. "On my way here I stopped and asked him if he needed a ride. He must have thought we looked similar, because he asked me if I was related to you. We talked a little."

I nodded, turning back to Ichigo. "Well, see you tomorrow," I said, hoping my sister would let it go and just drive home. It's not like I didn't want Ichigo in my car or anything, that wasn't a big deal. I just didn't want him near my sister. Now that Hisana knew we had spent the whole afternoon together, she would surely be brutal.

"Rukia, stop," she quietly scolded me. "Please, Kurosaki, let me give you a ride. It would be my pleasure," she said, smiling at him warmly. Something about either her comment or her expression made Ichigo smile as he turned away, acting like he was checking for cars or something. He was trying to hide his genuine smile.

After a second he turned back to us, his expression blank other than his normal glare. He shrugged before saying, "Alright. But you don't have to, I can walk." He obviously thought he was a burden on us, so I answered before Hisana could.

"It's not a problem, Ichigo. Just get in," I said, smiling at him again.

He did so, carefully wiping off his shoes before entering the vehicle. Hisana noticed and smiled at him in the mirror. "Don't worry about it, this thing's pretty filthy, you don't have to be careful."

His brow seemed to crease at her statement, but my sister was focused on driving again and didn't notice. During the drive, we were silent except for Ichigo's quiet instructions on how to get to his home. Thankfully Hisana didn't press us about our afternoon together.

We reached his neighborhood and he told Hisana that she could drop him off at the entrance, his house the first in the area. Hisana did so, having no trouble as we seemed to have the road to ourselves. Ichigo got out after he thanked us again and we said our goodbyes. My sister started pulling away and I looked into my rear-view mirror, the sight of Ichigo walking away from the neighborhood startling me.

"Hisana, stop the car!" I shouted and she did, looking over at me, about to question my demands. Before she got the change I jumped out of the car and ran after Ichigo, catching up with him easily, grabbing his arm to stop him. "W-what are you doing, Ichigo? If we didn't drop you off at the right place you could have told us," I said, trying to catch my breathe.

He looked surprised that I was even there, his scowl missing for a second. It returned and he looked away. "Look, my house is right down the street from here, just don't make a big deal out of it," he said, attempting to pull away from me, but I wouldn't let him go.

"Ichigo, we could have gone the next block, why'd you have us drop you off here?" I questioned. He pulled away roughly.

"Just drop it! Thanks for the ride, I'll see you tomorrow," he said, turning and walking away.

I felt guilty for upsetting him, but I didn't even know what the problem was. I returned to Hisana's vehicle and got in, snapping my seat belt shut.

"What was that about?" my sister asked.

"Pull up to the next block," I said instead of answering her.

"But home's the other way-"

"Just do it, okay?"

She nodded and pulled up slowly as I told her. By the time I saw Ichigo again he was opening a door to a house and walking in, not noticing us. The house was...small. It looked pretty old and beat up. Shingles from the roof were missing, the front door had graffiti on it that looked like someone had tried to scrub it away, one of the windows were busted and only covered with a plastic covering. The yard matched the house; small. The grass was light green, almost looking dead. I stared and felt horrible, knowing why he had us pull up to another neighborhood.

"Rukia, what's going on?" Hisana questioned.

"He...was ashamed of his house. He didn't want us to see it," I stated, my guilt leaking into my voice.

"Did he tell you this?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"No. But it's pretty obvious, Hisana."

"Yeah...I guess you're right." she answered, also sounding guilty. She turned around and started driving home. It was quiet for a few minutes, even the radio was turned off. "Maybe," Hisana started while breaking the silence. "Maybe we could help him out," she suggested, her hands firmly planted on the steering wheel as she shrugged.

"I don't think Ichigo would like it if I suggested we help him. I'd only embarrass him. Besides, he doesn't seem to be the type to take charity," I answered.

"It wouldn't be charity. It would be one family helping out another. We don't have to give them money, we could help fix up the house or buy some groceries or-"

"It would be insulting. The last thing I want to do is poke at this more when it's already a sensitive subject," I answered and Hisana shut up. "Besides, I've only known him for a day. I'm not saying that should hold anyone back from helping people out, but he'd probably find it a little strange. Just let me get to know him a little better and maybe he'll talk to me about it. If I notice he needs anything while at school or something, I'll help him."

Smiling at me, Hisana asked, "Like what?"

"Like if he doesn't have lunch, I'll buy him some. And I won't take no for an answer."

She nodded, turning her attention back to the road.

Minutes later we arrived home. My house, just looking at it, made me feel horrible and even more guilty. I was pretty spoiled, I had everything I needed and more, and I always took that for grantite. I mean, I've seen people struggling before, I wasn't like one of those super rich kids who think that _everyone_ is rich. But, I had never seen so much shame in someone's face before, all because of where he lived. It made me ashamed of how privileged I am.

I walked into the house, heading up the stairs when my sister said, "Dinner should be done in about an hour."

"Thank you," I said, trying to sound sincere because I was _being_ sincere, and ascended the rest of the stairs. I went into my bedroom and laid down, burying my face in my pillow, still feeling guilty over the situation.

_-:-_

That afternoon I ate dinner with my sister, discussing ways we could help out the Kurosaki's without Ichigo noticing. We came up with a few ideas, but realized how hard it would be to aide them and keep it a secret.

After dinner I went into my room and grabbed my cello off of it's stand, preparing to play. As I tuned my instrument and rosined my bow I wondered if Ichigo had his own piano. A frown crossed my features as I thought _Probably not._

I decided to play "I", which I had memorized. I didn't feel like setting up a music stand and getting all my folders out, so I stuck to practicing the song Ichigo and I had played so well together. I had a hard time playing, I found, without Ichigo's beautiful rhythm keeping me on beat. The guilt I had felt for my new friend got in my way, causing me to forget the notes and not pay attention to intonation at all. I sounded horrible and I knew it, but I couldn't stop playing the song that reminded me of him.

I had never felt so bad for a person in my life, and I only felt guilty for that. Tears formed in my eyes as I continued to play. _I have so much...and I complain all the time. Though I've only known Ichigo for a day, I don't recall him complaining about anything. No matter how many times I wanted to practice the same four measures over and over again. He never said a word. _

The few tears turned into full blown sobs as I forced myself to finish the song.

_-:-_

The next day at school I looked everywhere for Ichigo in the morning, hoping that he wouldn't skip school because of our spat. I found him at his locker, noticing that it was only a few away from mine. I approached him and noticed that he had dark circles under his eyes like he had had trouble sleeping the night before. He only glanced at me before heading down the hall. I followed him right away.

"Ichigo, are you alright? You look exhausted," I said, practically jogging to keep up with him.

"I'm fine, thanks," he answered absently, continuing to walk in his fast pace.

"Are you sure? You don't look 'fine'."

"I am, really," he answered, his voice sounding tired and a little frustrated.

"Well, look, about yesterday-"

"Just forget it, okay? It's not big deal," he said, cutting me off.

"It was a big deal yesterday," I said, a little annoyed with his change of attitude.

"Just drop it and leave me alone!" he suddenly demanded, his voice gaining volume. His eyes seemed to be pleading with me, but he still looked angry.

I stared up at him, my own annoyance gone. "Sorry...I'm sorry. Just...Come with me, just for a second," I said, grabbing his arm and heading toward the music hallway. Eventually my hand slid down his arm and ended up in his as I continued to drag him around. We got a few amused looks from other orchestra members, but I ignored them and finally approached the practice room. I walked into the one we had been playing in the day before, pulling him in, and shut the door.

"Why did you drag me all the way here?" he asked, his face slightly tinted pink. I hadn't let go of his hand and I didn't intend to .

"I know I just met you _yesterday_, but...talk to me," I said, feeling a little awkward.

He looked away as I stepped closer to him, his face's pink tint darkening. "What's there to talk about? I live in a shitty house," he answered.

"You were so upset when I saw you leaving the neighborhood. Why are you so ashamed of it?" I asked.

He sighed, not wanting to have this conversation. "Who wouldn't be ashamed of that dump?"

I smiled. "Ichigo, you guys _just_ moved there. No one blames you if you haven't had time to fix it up a little," I said.

"Well, we still won't be able to do anything about it, so it's not like it's going to change," he answered, his shame present in his voice.

"Why can't you?" I asked, no surprise in my voice.

"We can't afford it."

I nodded, deciding to take the chance to volunteer. "Well, if you ever need any help-" I started before he cut me off.

"No, thanks. We don't need any trouble with paying people back," he said.

"I didn't mean money, Ichigo. I could help with little things around your house. I could come over on some Saturdays and help out. Then, if you wanted to, you could come over to my house afterwords and we could practice. My sister has a piano that she doesn't know how to play, I'm sure she'd love to hear you play it," I said, the offer of him coming to my house just slipping off my tongue.

He looked down at me, a small smile on his face. "Why are you doing this? I'm practically a stranger," he said.

I grinned back up at him. "Because, I want to help. You're not a...complete stranger. You're my friend."

Looking away again he slightly shook his head. After a few minutes of silence he said, "You don't have to," quietly.

"I _want_ to, Ichigo."

"Alright. I'll talk to my dad," he answered.

"Great!" I exclaimed, extremely happy that he had allowed it. Tugging on his hand, I continued. "It's a date!"

_-:-_

There it is! :D Is anyone here proud of me for thinking of a plot so quickly? I am! :P Epic stuff right there!

Alright, well please review and let me know what you think. :)


	4. Chapter 4

Okay, I'm back already! :D I know I wont sit down and write this whole chapter tonight, it's getting late. But I do want to get some done tonight. :)

Well, here we go! Chapter four already! :P This fic is coming alone so much easier than my usual ones, surprisingly. It was pretty much created on impulse! :) Okay, here it is!

_-:-_

The next three days I spent more and more time with Ichigo. We stayed after school everyday and practiced for a few hours. Afterwords, Hisana would pick us up, taking Ichigo home. It became a regular thing in just a week.

Friday afternoon we were sitting at the bench by the main entrance in a comfortable silence. Ichigo was facing forward, his long legs sprawled in front of himself. I sat sideways, my legs Indian style, facing him.

Bored of our silence, I leaned my head back against the wall and said, "I'm still allowed to come over tomorrow, right?"

Ichigo looked over at me, a small smile on his face. "Yeah."

I smiled back, nodding slightly. "Good. I'll come around noon, that alright?"

"Yes, Rukia. I know, you've said that about a million times," he said, feigning his irritation.

My smile grew as I lightly smacked him in the back of the head. "Yeah yeah, I was just making sure."

He laughed quietly and looked back in front of himself. His hands were folded in his lap, making him look nervous, but I knew by now that that was just his normal stance. I felt my smile soften as I noticed how timid and cute he looked, but he didn't seem to notice me.

Glancing at the door, Ichigo stood, saying, "Hisana's here." He grabbed my arm and carefully helped me up. With anyone other than Ichigo, the small gesture would made me furious. But I'd gotten used to his kind nature and allowed him to "help" me whenever he felt the need.

We headed toward the front door and got into my sister's car. Ichigo sat in front now, because I had demanded so. His legs were so long, there was no way sitting in the cramped back seat was in any way comfortable. So I made him switch me seats. He did so willingly, though seeming extra anxious sitting next to Hisana.

"Hey guys," Hisana greeted, smiling at us as we got in. "How was your day?"

"Fine," I said automatically.

"Good, thanks," Ichigo replied in his timid tone.

"Good," she said, her smile widening as she pulled out of the school's mini-parking lot. "So, Rukia," she started, glancing at me in the mirror. "What time should I pick you two up tomorrow?"

I shook my head absently. "There's no need. Ichigo's going barrow his dad's truck so he can just drive home when he's ready. Thanks though."

"Oh, alright." She turned to Ichigo for a moment before looking back at the road. "You can drive?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I haven't been in any accidents, if that's what you're worried about."

She laughed. "Of course not, I'm not worried, just wondering. Rukia hasn't taken the time to learn. All summer she's busy practicing and the rest of the year she's balancing school work and the cello as best as she can." Hisana's smile widened.

"I'll learn eventually. I just have more important stuff to do, that's all," I answered defensively, although my sister spoke with pride more than anything.

"Well," Ichigo started. "I had to learn how to drive. My dad works a lot and I have to take-...uh, I have to run errands for him a lot."

His sudden stop caught my attention, but Hisana didn't pick up on it. Ichigo tended to stutter sometimes when he was uncomfortable, I had noticed. But this was different. He completely changed what he was going to say. It worried me, but I ignored it for now.

"Oh," Hisana continued. "That's nice of you!"

He just shrugged, his hands fidgeting in his lap.

"No, really, you don't see a lot of teenagers ready to help out their parents like that. It's really-"

"Cool it with the compliments, Sana," I interrupted calmly, smiling at her surprised expression in the mirror hovering between her and Ichigo. "It makes him awkward."

"Oh, sorry!" she said, smiling again.

He shook his head, looking out the window. "It's fine," he said quietly.

I saw Ichigo's face reflected in the clean window he was leaning against. His usual scowl that never seemed to fit his shy posture and attitude was present. Orange spikes rested against his forehead, longer spikes standing above his head in their usual, messy manor. He looked calm and content in an Ichigo-kind-of-way, causing my smile to spread. I couldn't wait to go to his house!

_-:-_

Saturday rolled around in no time, noon coming a little too soon. I was in my room an hour before I was supposed to be at Ichigo's, trying to figure out what to wear after my shower. I stood in front of my open closet, my towel wrapped around me while my hair lay flatly against my shoulders and back. After getting frustrated I grabbed a pair of older jeans and a long sleeved shirt that was a little loose. I thought it would be best to be comfortable, so I wore a pair of old converse high tops, the dark purple of the shoes clashing with my bright yellow shirt.

Hisana pulled up to Ichigo's house an hour later, waving as I walked away. I approached the door and knocked quietly after Hisana left. A tall man came to the door. He had short, dark hair and weird looking sideburns. His jaw was sharp in a familiar way and his eyes were the exact copy of Ichigo's, excluding the usual glare. He was grinning down at me as he opened the door. "Come on in! You must be Rukia?" he asked, his hand on my back as he pulled me into the small building. The place was cramped inside, but it looked a lot cleaner than the outer appearance led you to believe it would be. The door led to the living room, which was small, but held two couches and a vacant looking television. It was cute.

"Y-yes," I said, feeling awkward around Ichigo's father right away. He was nothing like his son, it seemed.

"Dad, leave her alone," I heard Ichigo say, annoyance clear in his tone. He had appeared from a hallway, standing in front of the entrance, clad in jeans that clung to him in a comfortable looking fashion. There were several rips in the pants and gaping holes in both knees. He was wearing a t-shirt that was navy blue, contrasting with his bright orange hair.

"What? I'm just letting her inside, calm down!" he responded, grinning back at his son.

Ignoring his father, Ichigo turned to me. "Unfortunately, that's my dad," he said, causing me to laugh quietly.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Kurosaki," I said, holding a hand out to him.

The man eagerly grabbed my hand and pulled me into a strangling hug. "Please, call me Isshin!"

When he let me go, I nodded, more afraid of him than before.

"Knock it off, Dad!" Ichigo demanded, his voice louder than I had heard it before. I assumed he would be a little more confident around his family.

Laughing, the older man smacked his son on the shoulder roughly. "Calm down, I'm only being friendly."

Ichigo absently shrugged his dad's hand off his shoulder and turned his direction toward the hallway, which he had been standing in front of. "Karin, come here for a second." As he stepped out of the way, a short girl with dark short hair took his place. She had eyes like Ichigo's and an identical glare. She was dressed in shorts, a t-shirt, and old tennis shoes that had holes in the side. "This is Rukia," Ichigo said, then turned to me. "This is one of my little sisters, Karin."

I approached her, eager to get away from Ichigo's father. Holding out my hand to her, I said, "Hello, Karin-chan. It's nice to meet you."

She grabbed my hand, her grip firm. "Just Karin, thanks. You too." Her voice was low, but cute. Her tone reminded me of Ichigo's on his first day, during Orchestra.

She pulled her hand away absently, placing her hands on her hips and looking back at Ichigo. "You gonna introduce her to Yuzu?"

Nodding, Ichigo lightly grabbed my arm, nudging me toward the hallway. As Karin moved out of the way, Ichigo dragged me down the hall. He stopped in front of a door and turned back to me. "Look...Yuzu's sick," he started, running his unoccupied hand through his hair. "She has cancer and she looks really weak from the chemo. Just letting you know," he finished, causing my brow to crease.

I carefully pulled my arm away from him and grabbed his hand, nodding. Smiling slightly, he opened the door and pulled me inside. "Hey, Yuzu, I brought someone to meet you," he said in a soft voice.

The room was small, holding two beds and a dresser. The rest was practically bare. In one of the beds a little girl lay, smiling at us warmly. She was extremely skinny, her childish dress looking baggy on her. She had short, strawberry blonde hair that looked freshly cut. Her eyes were large and bright, her positive attitude escaping through them.

"Ichi," she said simply, holding a hand out to him. Dropping my hand, he crossed the room and took hers, kneeling next to her bed, a wide smile on his face.

"Feeling better today?" he asked.

Nodding, she squeezed his hand and looked up me, her grin growing. "Hello, my name's Yuzu. I've heard a lot about you." Her voice was quiet and soft, resembling Ichigo's when he felt timid. "It's nice to meet you."

I smiled back at her, unable to help the tears that formed on my eyelids. "It's nice to meet you too," I answered, taking my place next to Ichigo's kneeling form.

"I'm glad Ichi made a friend so soon. Moving here has hurt him," she said to me, acting like her brother wasn't right next to her.

"Says you," he answered, placing a massive hand on her head lightly. Yuzu laughed at his comment, causing his smile to grow warmer. "We've got some stuff to do, we'll let you rest now," he continued, standing swiftly. Their sibling banter made my heart clench and more tears to form in my eyes, although I refused to let them fall.

"You're going so soon?" she whined, suddenly frowning.

"Yeah. Rukia's going to help me fix up the house a little. Then I'm going to her house to hang out. I'll make sure Rukia says goodbye before we leave," he answered.

"What are you doing at her house?"

"We're going to practice. Her sister has a piano and Rukia plays the cello."

"Hm...," the small girl responded, looking away in thought. "I hope I can hear you play before I d-"

"Yuzu," Ichigo said firmly, his expression suddenly hardening.

She smiled and rephrased herself. "I hope to hear you play sometime soon. It's been a long time."

"Maybe," I started, placing my hand on hers lightly. "Maybe one day when you feel better, you and your family can come to my house. Ichigo can play for you there," I said, looking up at Ichigo questioningly, hoping I hadn't overstepped my boundaries.

"Yeah, that'll work," Ichigo answered, still looking down at Yuzu.

The young girl grinned and nodded. "Okay! And I'd like to hear you play as well, Rukia!"

My smile returned as I said, "I can play here. My cello's not too big, it'll fit in my sister's car. If your father doesn't mind, I'll swing by one of these days and play something for you." In my peripheral vision I saw Ichigo glance at me, a grin on his face.

"Okay!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Alright," Ichigo started. "That's enough for today. We'll let you rest. See you later, Yuzu." Leaning over her carefully, Ichigo kissed his little sister's head before she hugged him around the neck. They were so cute. Ichigo acted more like her father than her brother.

After saying goodbye to Yuzu, Ichigo led me to his room. It was also small and bare, only containing his twin sized bed and a closet. He was looking in the closet, digging out his tennis shoes.

I sat on his bed absently and watched him. "So," I started, my strong voice breaking the silence. "That's why you had to learn to drive. To take Yuzu to her appointments when your father can't do it?"

He simply nodded, his shy exterior up again.

I thought of complimenting him, letting him know how selfless he was, but decided against it. I didn't want to make Ichigo uncomfortable.

Finally Ichigo found his shoes, slipping on a pair of his own Converse high tops, only his were black with orange shoe strings and had holes in them. After tying the laces, Ichigo stood and helped me up as well. We went through the hallway and the living room, exiting the house through the front door. He had a few buckets in the front yard with scrubbing tools floating in them.

"I guess we can try to scrub the graffiti off, that's all we really can do today," he said, handing me the lighter of the two buckets.

We took our places at different sides of the front of the house, scrubbing the panels as best as we could. The only difference the scrubbing did was to make the black spray paint fade slightly, looking dark gray. Other than that, it seemed ineffective.

"Ichigo," I said after we had been working on the houses surface for almost twenty minutes. "I don't think this is working. I think the only way to get rid of this is to paint over it."

His glare deeper than usual, Ichigo nodded, dropping the scrubber into the bucket absently. "Stupid shit," he said under his breathe. "Alright, well, we can't do that this weekend," he said, more to himself than to me.

"Well, Hisana and I have extra paint from painting Hisana's office a few months ago," I said, thinking of the lie quickly. "How about next weekend I bring the rest of that over and we can just paint the whole exterior."

He gave me a strange look and started to shake his head slowly. "No, it's okay. It's leftover. We were planning on throwing it out, but we just haven't gotten around to it. It's not a problem."

"Are you sure?" he asked quietly.

Nodding, I said. "Of course. Don't worry about it." I mentally reminded myself to get Hisana to take me to buy some paint before the week was over and almost empty one of the cans.

He nodded also, looking away. "Thanks."

"No problem," I answered. "Well, if we can't do anything else out here, is there anything I can help with inside? Like doing some laundry or the dishes?"

"Probably, but don't worry about it," he answered, approaching me only to take my buck and scrubber. He went back to the house and sat them along the edge.

"Ichigo, it's not a problem. I'm guessing since your dad works so much, you and Karin are the ones in charge of that. Let me help out, I want to."

With a small sigh, he approved unwillingly and led me back inside. We spent the next forty-five minutes doing the dishes, him washing and me drying them off and putting them in their proper places in the shelves and drawers.

After we finished Ichigo told his father we were leaving and took me back to Yuzu's room to say bye. She was asleep, so we just slipped out, waved goodbye to Karin, and left, heading toward my house in Isshin's truck.

_-:-_

As Ichigo pulled into my drive way, his eyebrows rose in surprise, taking in the image of my house. I nudged him with my elbow and told him to hurry. He did so, pulling his keys free from the ignition and shoving them in his pocket.

While walking in Hisana stood in the large living room, greeting us. "Hey you two, you hungry?" she asked right away. I had only been at Ichigo's for a few hours, it was no where near time to eat dinner, but she was just trying to make Ichigo feel at home.

"No, thanks," I said, shaking my head. I looked up at Ichigo for his response.

Slowly shaking his head also, he thanked Hisana. Something about how he responded made me suspicious and wondered if he just didn't want to impose. I noticed while putting away the dishes at the Kurosaki house that there wasn't a lot of food. (I got the cabinets mixed up and opened the food pantry a lot.)

"Actually," I said, not wanting to ignore my suspicion. "I could eat. Let's have a late lunch before we practice, Ichigo." Turning to look at him, he just shrugged, still feeling like a burden I guessed. "It's no problem. Hisana always makes too much, it's just us here. There'll be plenty for you." This earned a nod.

"Alright. Thanks," he said.

I led Ichigo up to my room first, allowing him to put his jacket and his bag on my bed. He had brought all of his music that he had, which wasn't much, in his school bag after I suggested he did so.

Minutes later we were sitting at the kitchen table, Hisana's lunch in front of us. Usually my sister took it upon herself to cook full meals for the two of us, but she took the weekend off and usually made something quick and easy. So she placed a plate in front of both of us, each holding two grilled cheese sandwiches. Next to our plates she sat glasses of chilled Dr. Pepper and then placed the ketchup bottle in the center of the table.

Ichigo ate quickly, but every time I glanced over at him he slowed down, seeming to try and pace himself. I realized that my assumption of him being hungry was more than true and placed one of my sandwiches on his plate. "Have it," I said, trying to keep the concern out of my voice. "I'm not that hungry." He thanked me and ate that one quickly as well.

After finishing our food and beverages, I led Ichigo to our second living room where Hisana kept her piano. He gawked at it, approaching it right away. He stood in front of it, his fingers hovering over the keys, acting like he was afraid to touch them. I smiled at his silly actions and took my place next to him, placing a hand over his and pushing them against the shining wood carefully.

The motion caused a low F sharp to fill the silence, the sound ringing around us. He looked more amazed with the tone of the piano, a smile crossing his features.

Laughing, I pulled his hand away and let go of his hand. I grabbed the stool and pulled it out until it hit his legs, getting him to move. He sat and stared at the keys until I grabbed both of his wrists and placed his hands over them again. "Just play. Don't worry, it'll be fine, that's what it's made for. I'll be right back, I'm gonna go get my cello from my room." He merely nodded and continued to look at the instrument, waiting until I left the room to start practicing quietly.

Hisana was waiting by the stairs, smiling as she heard the low hum of her piano finally being used. "What did he say? Does he like it?" she asked excitedly.

I smiled back at her. "You'd think he'd never seen one before," I answered happily. "He loves it, Hisana. You should have seen his face."

"Great! I'm so happy!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

"Well, I've gotta go get my cello. Thanks again, Sana. It really means a lot to him. And me," I said, my smile widening as I ascended the stairs. I entered my room, grabbed my cello, bow, and music, and headed back downstairs. As I entered the second living room, I heard Ichigo playing a piece I didn't recognize, his tone louder as he played with more confidence. I sat up next to the piano, facing him, and waited patiently for him to end his some.

"Ready?" I asked him, smiling when I noticed the same gesture on his face.

"Yep," he answered, nodding as his smile widened.

_-:-_

Alright, so I'm cutting this chapter off. I feel like it's pretty long, long enough definitely! :P So, I know it's a weird place to stop, but I've been working on this chapter all day! :D So, yeah.

Okay, well, let me know what you think! Please review! :D Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5

Alright, I'm back! :) I've been getting ideas for lines or scenes for this story so often, I feel like I'm not going to have much trouble getting this fic done at all! :D The ideas are flooding my head, I just hope I remember them all! :) Ha ha.

Anyway, here we go, chapter five! :D

_-:-_

Ever since I found my passion for playing the cello, I never thought I'd find someone who liked to practice as much as I did. Ichigo insisted we continue to practice hour after hour, never wanting to even take a break. After the second hour of playing I stopped to get something to drink, leaving the living room and entering the kitchen, Ichigo staying at the piano, his fingers working fast.

As I approached the fridge, I noticed Hisana sitting at the kitchen table. She was just sitting, no bills in front of her, no dirty dishes in the sink for her to do. "Busy night?" I asked, teasing her. After grabbing a cold bottle of water and closing the fridge door, I sat across from her, opening the bottle and taking a drink.

She shook her head, a content smile on her face. "Just listening to you two," she answered, not looking at me. Her gaze was down cast, looking at her cup of steaming tea. "You guys sound so great together. I don't know...just hearing you two...I've seen you play before, I see how much emotion you put into it...but I can't help but feel like Ichigo does too. And I can just picture it, all of it...It's beautiful..." As her voice trailed off I saw tears form in my sister's eyes. I couldn't believe it, my strong, happy-go-lucky sister was crying over something as simple as music.

"Hisana...," I started, not sure what to say.

She directed her gaze at me, a wide smile now taking place on her face. "It's just so wonderful to hear my piano being played. He's so talented."

Nodding, my smile returned, it's presence warm. "Yeah, he is."

"Do you think he'd mind if I came in and watched you guys for awhile?" she asked, her tone returning to normal.

"I'm sure he doesn't care. Come back with me after I'm done with my break," I said, absently patting her hand that lay on the table next to her cup of tea, causing her smile to widen.

"Alright," she answered, taking a sip from her cup. "Well, didn't Ichigo want to take a break?"

"Nope," I answered after taking a long swig of my water. "He's so wrapped up in playing, he barely noticed I asked. He refuses to stop." My smile grew as I saw Hisana tear up again.

"I'm so happy he likes it," she stated, dabbing at her eyes with her napkin.

"He loves it," I said, pushing my chair away from the table, standing swiftly. "Come on, let's get back to him."

As I led Hisana to the second living room, I heard the piano continue to play, the tone loud and smooth. He had been practicing a Sonata that I had music for and let him have when I left the room, but he had strayed from it and started playing something from memory, something I didn't recognize.

Hisana approached Ichigo immediately, placing a hand on his shoulder, barely getting his attention. He glanced up at her, turned back to the instrument, and shifted in his seat, looking nervous again. As he finished his song he pulled his hands away from the piano for the first time since he laid eyes on it, folding them in his lap. Noticing him, I said, "Sana just wanted to hear you play, you don't have to stop. We should play something for her together," I suggested, sitting in my chair and picking my cello up, placing it between my thin legs, my knees resting in the curves of my instrument.

Nodding, he absently wiped his hands against his jeans, I assumed wiping the sweat from his palms. "What should we play?" he asked, his voice quiet like it usually was in front of others.

"I don't care," I answered as he looked down at the keys, his way of refusing to choose. As I noticed, I smiled and looked through my music folder, searching for something that we would both know. Finally, I pulled out Slavonic Dance Number Eight, dreading it, but said, "You wanna play Slavonic? You know a little of it, right?"

"Yeah, that's fine," he mumbled, pulling out his own music and placing it in front of himself, the paper leaning against the piano for support. Ichigo placed his fingers on the spruce keys and looked at me, waiting for me to play the introduction of the song.

As I sat my bow on the G string, getting ready to roll it across the D and A to maintain the first chord, I took a deep breathe and pulled it. The chord filled the room, Ichigo's eight measures of rest flying by. He joined me, his notes perfect staccatos, not a beat ahead or behind. The speeding loud section of the piece was over in seconds, letter A, the second set of phrases, quiet as I pizzicato-ed. Ichigo refrained from slamming his fingers against the keys, the sound airy and hollow.

Our sounds were simultaneous during letter A and as we approached B Ichigo's notes began to echo mine, his part similar to the second violins. We continued through the song, Ichigo surprisingly getting the dynamics like he had been playing as long as the rest of the orchestra. That was the hardest part of Slavonic, trying to master the dynamics while maintaining the right speed.

As the song finished, a retardondo leading to the fast ending, I glanced up at Hisana. She had tears running down her face as she replaced her hand on Ichigo's shoulder, her other hand at her face, wiping away her tears.

Ichigo pulled his hands away from the piano and looked up at Hisana, a startled expression on his face. He grabbed her arm lightly as he turned around on the bench. "Are you alright?" he asked, sounding panicked.

She nodded, smiling, though she continued to cry. "That was just so beautiful, that's all," she answered, directing her smile at Ichigo. She carefully pulled her arm away from Ichigo's massive hand and laid her own hand on his head, her fingers meeting his orange spikes. The gesture was so motherly, it surprised me. My sister did not seem like the motherly type at all, she had shown no signs of ever wanting to be a mother, let alone just acting like one. The most mother-like thing she did was take care of me, but even that she did in a "Big Sister" fashion.

Ichigo smiled sheepishly, seeming to notice her gesture as well. He grabbed a few tissues from a near by coffee table and handed them to her. She thanked him and wiped her eyes again.

"Thank you for letting me play, Hisana," he said, still looking up at her. I was surprised also, but I was proud of him. He seemed to be getting closer to my sister, I was glad.

"Of course, Sweety!" she answered, a grin now on her face. "I've never really used it. If I got bored I'd mess with it, but you're actually putting it to use, so thank _you_!" Laughing, she straightened up and absently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her hair. "You two should take a break," she continued.

Ichigo slightly shook his head, looking back down at the gleaming keys. "Yes, come on," she continued, sounding motherly also. "It'll be here when you're done, don't worry." Her voice was amused as she teased him mildly. "I'll make you guys something to eat."

"Hisana, we just-" I began, about to refuse her offer, then remembered Ichigo's hunger. I was pretty sure he wasn't starving like he seemed to be earlier, but I wasn't going to deny a chance for him to eat some more. "Yeah, alright. Just a snack, though."

"Okay, okay. Come on, it won't take long," Hisana said, speaking to Ichigo again. She grabbed his arm and pulled him from his seat, practically dragging him out of the living room, heading toward the kitchen. I followed suit.

Once in the kitchen Ichigo and I sat at the table while Hisana prepared our snack. I looked over at Ichigo, who was looking down at the table absently, his constant glare on his face, though his expression was timid. "Want something to drink?" I asked, nudging him slightly with my elbow.

He shrugged and slowly shook his head. I rolled my eyes, a smile spreading across my face. I stood and went to the fridge absently, surprised by how lightly I took his strange behavior. I knew he really couldn't help being shy and that was perfectly fine with me. But I'd met shy people before, and they usually got on my last nerve. People who never spoke their minds usually got under my skin, irritating me until I couldn't be around them. Ichigo seemed to be just like those other people, but I could handle it. It was cute to me, I liked that about him. It was really strange.

After pouring Ichigo a tall glass of Dr. Pepper and replacing the bottle in the fridge, I sat next to him, took a sip, and then handed him the glass. "Here you go," I said, hoping he didn't mind me just drinking from his glass.

He didn't seem to mind. He took the glass from me, thanked me, and took a long swig, almost half the glass gone as he sat it on the table.

"Here, I'm done," Hisana said, setting the food in front of us. It was another simple recipe, although you really couldn't call it that. All Hisana had done was heat up a bowl of Spaghetti O's for each of us in the microwave. She handed us each a spoon and sat down at the table in front of us with her meal, a salad.

Ichigo started eating immediately, slower this time as I imagined he wasn't as hungry. "Trust me, she usually makes actual meals. She just takes weekends off," I told him absently, scooping a spoon full of O's and placing the spoon in my mouth.

Shaking his head, he looked up at me and then glanced at Hisana. "This is fine," he said, looking almost guilty.

I smiled. "I know, I know, I'm just saying. I know you're not complaining," I said, noticing him calm down.

"Yeah, some day next week you should come over and eat a real dinner with us," Hisana said, smiling at him widely. "Like Rukia said earlier, I usually make way too much. There'll be plenty for you," she finished, taking a crunchy bite of her greens and dressing.

He shrugged and looked back down at his food. "I wouldn't want to-" he started before I cut him off.

"You wouldn't be imposing at all. We invited you, don't worry about it. If you don't want to, that's fine too."

"That's not it," he said, sounding almost frantic.

I laughed, unable to help myself. "I know, Ichigo. That's not what you were saying. But if you don't, we won't be upset. Just tell us what you think," I said.

Nodding, he continued to look down at his half empty bowl. "Uh...," he started, shifting in his seat. "That sounds great."

"Great!" Hisana exclaimed, smiling at him as he allowed a small smile onto his face. "Whenever you want to, just come on over."

He nodded and thanked her.

After eating half of my bowl I offered the rest to Ichigo, who ate it gladly. When he finished I rinsed out our dishes and asked Ichigo what he wanted to do. It took awhile, but he finally told me that he wanted to keep practicing. Although I was a little tired of it myself, I agreed, knowing that he didn't have the opportunity to play whenever he pleased. We practiced for two more hours before Ichigo seemed satisfied. He pulled the wooden cover over the keys reluctantly and pushed the stool in while I grabbed my cello. He grabbed my music and my bow and accompanied me upstairs. I put my cello and it's other pieces away and looked up at him.

"So, what now?" I asked, smiling as his posture alone gave away how much more confidence he had around just me.

"I better get home," he said, returning the gesture.

"Are you sure you wanna drive home now? It's pretty late and it's really dark outside. Why not just stay in the guest room for a night," I suggested, causing his face to tint pink slightly.

"I should be alright, but thanks," he answered, looking away absently.

"Are you sure? It's no trouble."

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

We headed downstairs, running into Hisana at the bottom. "What are you two up to now?" she asked, a smile on her face.

"Ichigo's going home," I answered, my elbows lazily resting in opposite palms.

"Oh...," she started, glancing out the window. "It's pretty dark, maybe you should just stay in a guest room or something," Hisana offered.

"No thanks, really, I'll be okay. I drive in the dark all the time," Ichigo answered, his tone only hinting at his shy-ness.

"Well, if you say so. If you'll be alright, why not stay a little longer? It's Saturday night and it's only around eight-thirty, I'm sure your father won't mind if you stay for awhile longer."

Shrugging, Ichigo looked over at me for an answer. I assumed by his letting me decide he either wanted to stay or really didn't care. "Yeah, stay and let's watch a movie or something," I said, honestly not ready for Ichigo to leave.

"Okay," Ichigo said, pulling his bag's strap over his head and sitting it next to his shoes.

Minutes later were in the smaller of the two living rooms, sitting on the couch, and facing the television. I had stuck a random movie in, not bothering to ask for Ichigo's input, and sat next to him, closer than I intended. He didn't seem to notice though, and I was glad. The last thing I wanted to do was make him uncomfortable with _me_ and take away his "safety" around my home.

Halfway through the movie I noticed Ichigo start to lean closer to me, his head resting against mine lightly. I glanced up at him, wondering if he was falling asleep or just getting more comfortable. He was asleep, his mouth open slightly and his usual glare erased from his brow. His hand was resting on mine lightly, his fingers warm and moist in a familiar way. Unable to help the wide smile from crossing my features, I pulled out my cell phone and quietly texted Hisana, letting her know that she should call Isshin and tell him that Ichigo was staying the night.

I slightly pulled away from him, causing his head to slide onto my shoulder. I turned so I could face his sleeping form while he kept his head on my shoulder, his face planted against my collar bone. My smile grew warm as I looked at him, carefully pushing some of the orange spikes off of his brow. That was when I realized just what Ichigo was to me. I liked him, I really, _really_ liked him. It was really the first time I had liked somebody. Even so, the most surprising part was how fast is all happened. I remembered the first day we met, five short days ago, being annoyed at him for reading instead of taking notes. I thought he was rude and never expected to associate with him again, but luckily he seemed to force his way into my life. And he changed it immensely.

Leaning closer, still holding his spikes back, I pressed my lips to his forehead gingerly. He stirred in his sleep, but didn't wake. _Ichigo Kurosaki...You have no idea how much you mean to me..._

_-:-_

Alright, so there's chapter five! :D Full of IchiRuki fluff, yay? :P

Okay, so, please review! :D Thanks!


	6. Chapter 6

Alright, I'm back! :P It's been a few days, and I sort of forgot what my plans were for this chapter, but I'm sure it'll come back while I type. Hopefully, ha ha. :)

Thanks everyone who's reviewed! Your comments have been really motivating and helpful, so thank you all! :D

Okay, chapter 6! :P

_-:-_

After the movie finished, I shook Ichigo awake and helped him upstairs to the guest bedroom. He was disoriented and barely noticed his transfer from the couch to the bed. After patting his head and shutting the lights off, I headed downstairs, Hisana waiting for me at the bottom of the case.

"Was he okay with staying the night?" she asked as she absently brushed some wrinkles out of her skirt.

"Yeah, I guess. He wasn't really awake enough to know what was going on," I said, amusement clear in my tone.

Smiling, she nodded and went into the kitchen. I followed and sat at the table, noticing her wiping off the counters though they didn't need it. "Hey, Hisana, some time this week can you take me to the store to buy some paint?" I asked, tracing over the patterns of the table cloth.

"Uh, yeah, sure. How come? Wanting to paint your room or something?" she asked, making her way to sink, getting ready to wash the dishes. I stood and took my place next to her, offering to dry them off. I had had my share of dishes that day, but figured Hisana would appreciate the help.

"No," I answered as she handed me a plate. "You know the graffiti on Ichigo's house? Well, the only way to get rid of it is to cover it up, but they can't afford the paint. I kind of lied to him and told him that we had leftover paint from painting your office-"

"Rukia, I don't have an office," she said, a wide smile spreading across her face.

"I told you I lied," I said, annoyed by her interruption. "So, I told him he could have the leftover paint for their house. I said we got a few cans too many."

"Well, even if that were true, what were you going to tell him when we brought him exterior paint?" she questioned.

"I was going to tell him that you didn't pay attention and didn't notice until you had already painted a few walls," I answered, smiling at her.

"Thanks, make me look like the idiot," she said jokingly.

"I'll tell him that I was the one bought it, that'll make me a bigger idiot, how about that?" My reply caused her to laugh loudly.

"Fine, that works," she said, looking back down at the dish in her hand. I continued to smile at her, noticing how much closer we seemed to have gotten since I met Ichigo. Something about the boy brought us together as we tried to help him and his family. I was glad. Hisana and I had always been a little distant, although she refused to believe it. She made it seem like we were the perfect siblings, but it was never remotely true. Now we were laughing and joking around like we were best friends. And we had Ichigo to thank for that.

"What about when he asks to see the color? You know, of my "office"."

"Oh...hm...I don't know...," I answered, looking up at her for an idea.

Sighing and shaking her head, Hisana answered, "We'll pick a room and paint it during the week, how about that?" she asked, a smile still on her face.

"No...That's too much work for you, I'll think of something," I said, feeling guilty.

"Listen to you, you sound like Ichigo," she said, teasing me, causing a smile to reappear on my face as well. "It's no trouble, you know it. Besides, I've always wanted an office to do the bills in," she responded sarcastically.

"Who knows, maybe it'll help you stay organized," I responded, getting a small laugh from her.

"Maybe," she answered.

_-:-_

After Ichigo went home the following day, I had nothing to do. I found myself unable to practice my cello, my fingers numb from the hours of playing to please Ichigo. Instead, I found myself drawn to the piano that had been planted in my living room for years. After hearing Ichigo play, I really just wanted to sit and listen to more. I entered the empty room and approached the large instrument, the black wood gleaming from the evening sun light that soaked the area.

Pulling the stool out, I sat and pulled the cover away from the keys, rays of light bouncing off of them in a welcoming fashion. Smiling, I placed my small hands over the spruce pieces and just let them lay there, the thought that Ichigo's warm hands had been glued to them the day before making the piano a little less intimidating.

As I looked down at the keys, I started playing random scales that I had learned over the years, the loud tone bringing back the memory of certain pieces Ichigo had played as the key changed with each scale. I heard the clashing of pots and pans from the kitchen stop and soon Hisana was standing in the entrance's opening, one of her eyebrows cocked.

"Hey, Ruk," she said. "You okay?"

I nodded and smiled up at her, seeming to satisfy her. "Just bored."

"Then why don't you practice your cello, Sweety?" she asked, a small smile now present on her face.

"My fingers hurt, this is much less painful. I'm just messing around, if you want I'll stop," I answered, causing my sister's brow to crease.

"Of course not, you can play," she answered. She approached the piano and stood at my side as I continued playing children songs I had memorized from lessons as a kid. "Do you miss Ichigo?"

Her question brought heat to my face and caused my smile to falter. "I miss the company. It's been awhile since I've gotten the chance to hang out with someone, I'm just bored," I answered, my tone not giving away my embarrassment.

"Oh, alright. Well, let me know when you're ready for lunch," she said, patting me on the shoulder and walking out.

I spent the next half an hour sitting at the piano, sometimes not attempting to play, but only watching the keys and hearing songs that Ichigo played from memory flood my mind, the notes becoming louder with a crescendo, only to fall in volume again.

After I finished with the piano I shut the cover and went back into my room, sitting on my bed. While scanning my room for something interesting to do, I noticed a strange book sitting on my floor. Standing and crossing the room, I picked it up and realized that it was Ichigo's E.E. Cummings' collection of poetry. Smiling, I absently ran a hand over the old, torn cover, figuring that it must have fallen out of his bag.

Flipping through the pages, I noticed small, messy script covering the empty space on them. As I read them, I realized that they were notes about the meanings of certain lines from the poems. The one that really caught my eye was _somewhere i have never travelled, gladly beyond_. The page that contained this short poem was covered in the small hand writing, the owner of said hand writing finding several meanings to the lines and phrases. As I scanned the poem and then started reading the notes, I was amazed. I mean, there was no way I could have figured any of these out, it looked like something that a Language Arts teacher might write. _Did...Did _Ichigo _write this?_

As the thought crossed my mind, my bedroom door opened abruptly, causing me to jump and spin around on my heels. Hisana gave me a confused look and apologized for startling me. She held the phone out to me, smiling. "_Kurosaki_." Her tone was teasing.

I grabbed the phone and held it to my ear, thinking I knew what his call was about. Before saying a word I motioned for my sister to leave and she did so unwillingly. "Hello?"

"Hey Rukia," I heard his voice say on the other line.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked, sitting on my bed, still glancing at the page every now and then.

"Well, this might sound a little weird," he started, sounding anxious. I felt a frown cross my features, not wanting him to be like that while talking to _me_.

"What?" I pressed.

"My sisters, uh...They wanted me to invite you over next weekend," he said.

"Yeah...I thought I was supposed to be over there anyway, to paint?"

"Well, we'll have to do that another time. Friday is the twins' birthday and they wanted to celebrate on Saturday. They want you to come," he finished.

"Oh, okay," I answered, unsure as to why he was acting all nervous.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," he said.

"Why wouldn't I want to come?" I asked, a smile in my voice.

"I don't know. It's probably going to be pretty lame," he answered.

Laughing, I said, "I'm sure it'll be fun. I'm glad they invited me."

"Alright, well, it starts at noon. See ya tomorrow-" he started.

"Wait!" I cut him off. "Ichigo, didn't you notice your book was missing?" I asked, teasing him.

"Huh?" he answered as I heard a noise in the background. I was sure he was looking through his bag.

"Don't worry, I have it right here," I said. "Did you write this stuff in here?" I asked while flipping through the pages again.

There was silence on the other line.

"Ichigo?"

"Yeah," he said simply.

"'Yeah' what? Yeah you wrote it?"

"Yes."

"Really? That's really cool, Ichigo. This stuff is so deep," I stated, waiting for him to mumble a reply, but he didn't. "Oh, yeah, sorry. Forgot you don't like compliments," I answered his silence absently. "I know you don't want to hear it, but it is pretty impressive. I mean, I never would have understood any of this."

"It's really not that complicated," he said absently, obviously annoyed that I was still complimenting him.

"Yes it is. I mean, how did you get 'The paradox in his statement shows how confused the author can get by said '_frail gestures'_' from '_in your most frail gesture are things which enclose me, or which i cannot touch because they are too near'_?" I asked, only getting an aggravated sigh from him, but I continued anyway. "Or 'The narrator's willingness to change suddenly is compared to the first snowfall, covering everything.' from _'or if you wish to enclose me, i and myself will shut very beautifully, and suddenly, as when the heart of this flower imagines the snow carefully everywhere descending'_?"

"I don't know...," he answered, sounding embarrassed.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm done," I said, smiling. "Don't be embarrassed, either. I think it's awesome."

"Thanks," he muttered.

I continued to scan the poem, my eyes landing on the last line as Ichigo stayed quiet. "What does the last line mean?" I asked, getting ready to quote it for him, but he beat me to it.

"_'nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands'_? That line?" he asked, sounding more interested.

"Yeah, that one. What's with that?" I asked, more impressed with his memorization.

"It's just a random statement. The whole poem is supposed to be fragmented, filled with random thoughts, that's why it's a modernist poem. It's pretty much just what is says. No one has as small hands as the women the narrator's talking about. The personification is just saying that even the rain has hands because it touches everything when it falls."

"Oh...that's...beautiful. I love that line," I answered.

"Yeah," he stated, sounding less irritated.

"Do you like a lot of poetry or just this guy?" I asked, running my finger over the printed words absently.

"I like pretty much any that's good," he said.

Laughing I nodded. "Okay, well, I'll bring you your book tomorrow. You want me to leave it alone?" I asked. "If you don't want me to read what you wrote, I won't."

"No, it's not a big deal, I don't care," he answered.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, if you're really that interested, go ahead."

"Alright. Well, I'll talk to you tomorrow," I said, sitting the book back on the bed carefully.

"Bye," Ichigo answered, hanging up the phone. I clicked the "End Call" button and sat the phone aside.

I spent the next hour and a half reading through Ichigo's book, not understanding what the poems meant until I read Ichigo's deep comments. It wasn't until the phone rang again until I was snapped out of my stupor. Picking it up, I saw on the caller ID that it was my friend, Renji. He went to Karakura High but he had been absent the previous week.

Clicking the green button, I said, "Hey Renji!",excited to hear from him after a week of our dearth.

"Hey, Rukia. What's up?" he asked, his voice giving away his sickness.

"Nothing. What about you? Are you sick or something?"

"Nah, not anymore," he answered.

"Okay. Well, what do you need?"

"A few of us are getting together next weekend, you wanna come?" he questioned, being as vague as possible.

"Who? And what are you doing?" I asked, a small smile on my face.

"Me, Hisagi, Michiru, and some others. We'll probably see a movie and then just hang out," he answered.

"Oh, crap. I just made plans with another friend, I can't make it," I said, feeling guilty. The last few times Renji had invited me to hang out with him I had made excuses because I didn't want to do anything. Now I really wanted to go, but had plans with Ichigo.

"Whoa, Rukia Kuchiki has plans," he said, a smile in his voice. "Well, it's later in the afternoon, if your plans get done before eight, you can make it. You can bring your friend too."

"Okay, I guess that would work. But I don't know if Ichigo would want to come, he's kind of shy-" I started before Renji cut me off.

"You're friends a guy?" His voice was drenched in surprise.

"Yeah. He's a new student at Karakura. His first day was Monday," I answered, amused by his tone.

"Hm...," he answered, suddenly sounding serious.

"What Renji?"

"Do you have any classes with him?" he asked, ignoring my question.

"Yeah, every single one. Why?"

"He's in Orchestra?" he questioned.

"Yep. He plays the piano and he's really good. He makes us sound a lot better, actually," I answered, still confused why he was asking such random questions.

He attempted to laugh but it sounded more like a grunt. "That makes sense," he answered.

"What?"

"That you like this kid, it makes sense," he stated bluntly.

"Renji, he's my friend. Since when are you the jealous type?"

"What makes you think I'm jealous? Can't I look out for you? I mean, you've only known him for a week," he said, a smile in his voice again.

"Yes, I've known him for a week. And he's my friend," I answered, frustrated.

"Alright, whatever you say. Anyway, you should come. And if this Ichigo kid wants to come, he can, okay?" he asked.

"Sure. See you tomorrow, Renji. Bye," I said, quickly ending our conversation, clicking the red button and tossing the phone behind me. Sighing, I laid back on my bed and stared at my ceiling, reflecting on my conversation with Renji minutes before.

I was willing to admit that I liked Ichigo to myself, but I was definitely not ready to tell anyone. If he found out and pulled away from me...well, I'd be pretty upset. I had gotten closer to Ichigo than any of my friends, even Renji, and we were really close. And I got close to him in such a short time period. There was no way I could be sure that Ichigo felt just as close to me, so the last thing I wanted to do was scare him off.

It was pretty early in the afternoon, but I closed my eyes and allowed myself to fall into a deep sleep.

_-:-_

Alrighty, I'm done! :) Well, this took awhile, but I hope you like it! :D

Okay, so, review please! :P Thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

Alright, I'm back already! :)

Again, nothing really to say, so here's chapter 7! :D

Oh, and by the way, I'm using my OC from my fic _Far Away_. Sorry if you don't like OC's, she's the only one I pair Renji up with. :)

_-:-_

The next morning I woke up and ate breakfast quickly. I talked with Hisana while we ate and then ran back upstairs to get dressed for school. I had chosen my outfit the night before and hastily slipped into my skinny jeans and bright yellow T-shirt. I got my bag and picked up Ichigo's book from my dresser.

Looking at the faded cover, I smiled warmly. I had read so much of Ichigo's comments and still had a hard time believing that he had written them. They were really deep and meaningful. Ichigo was a shy kid, but I never imagined him being so esoteric.

Smiling, I slipped the book into my bag and descended the stairs. At the door I put on a pair of purple flats and waited for Hisana, folding my arms over my chest. A minute later she was running out of the kitchen, clad in a multicolored sun dress. It had a floral design and the colors were warm yellows, oranges, and pinks. She had on simple heels with it and a pair of sunglasses for driving in the bright weather. "Ready to go?" she asked, smiling at me.

"Yep, just waiting on you."

The car ride to school was filled with conversation as my sister and I planned which room we would paint. As she approached the school, she said, "Bye, Sweety, have a good day."

"Thanks, see you later," I answered, getting out of the car.

"Should I plan to pick you and Ichigo up later?"

"Uh, yeah, probably. I'll call and let you know."

"Okay, see you later," she said, waving slightly.

"See you," I said and closed the door, heading toward the main entrance. As I approached my locker I saw Ichigo's bright hair sticking up everywhere in it's usually messy fashion. A smile graced my lips as I tapped him on shoulder, with some effort. As he spun around he smiled slightly.

"Hey Rukia," he said, handing me an envelope with my name on it.

"What's this?" I asked, opening it while I listened to him explain.

"It's an invitation. My sisters insisted on making you one," he said, rolling his eyes absently.

My smile grew as I saw it. It was on plain white papter and was written in two different scripts, I assumed both girls added something to it. There were pictures of cute little bunnies and other animated wildlife doodled on the page around the information. "This is too cute, did they hand make all of the invitations?"

Shaking his head, he said, "No. Dad said they were only allowed to invite one person, so this is the only one they needed."

I looked up at him in surprise. "What? They invited me? Why?" My question caused him to laugh quietly.

"I don't know, they liked you."

I shook my head slowly and handed the invitation back to him, earning a confused look. "What?" he asked, looking concerned.

"I can't go if I'm the one person they get to invite," I answered.

"What? Why not?"

"Tell them that they should pick a friend," I said, ignoring his questions.

"Rukia, what's wrong?" he asked.

Sighing, I looked down at my feet before returning my gaze to him. "I don't want to disappoint them. I'm really not that fun, I don't want them to regret inviting me."

Ichigo smiled before laughing and placing the envelope back in my hand. "Rukia, you're who they wanted to invite. So come. Don't worry about something so stupid," he said, teasing me.

A small smile grew on my face. "Says you," I responded, causing his smile to widen.

"Whatever, just come." With that he shut his locker and started down the hallway. Of course I followed and soon fell in step next to him, although my pace was faster than I would have liked.

"Don't you want your book?" I asked, looking up at him.

"Oh. Yeah," he answered, waiting for me to dig it out of my bag. I handed it to him and he cocked an eyebrow. "What's this?" he asked, refurring to the bookmark I had placed in it.

"I didn't get a chance to read it all, so I put a bookmark in there. That okay?"

"Yeah," he stated, handing the book back to me. "Here, just keep it until you're done. I was just rereading it."

"You sure?" I asked, smiling up at him again.

"Yeah, go ahead."

"Thanks Ichigo," I said, placing the book back into my bag. "Oh, yeah, that reminds me," I started, getting a little nervous as I prepared to invite him to hang out with me and Renji. "My friend Renji called me last night after we got off the phone. After the twins' party, do you wanna hang out with us? There'll be a few other people too, but they're all from Karakura."

Ichigo stiffened slightly at my offer, causing me to be more anxious. "Uh,...I don't know," he said.

"You don't have to. Just think about it and let me know before the week's over. That sound okay?" I questioned, smiling slightly.

Nodding he answered, "Yeah, okay."

"Anyway," I began, happy to change the subject. "You'll meet Renji eventually. He was sick last week, but he's back today. He's in Orchestra too."

"Hm. What does he play?" Ichigo asked absently, staring ahead of us.

"He plays the cello, too. He's ususally in the second chair."

"So he's pretty good?"

"Yeah, he's really good. He'd be better if he took it seriously, better than me, definitley. But he doesn't see the point in taking it seriously," I answered, shrugging. "You might meet him this morning though, we usually talk before school."

Ichigo nodded, still not looking at me, and put his hand up to his face, anxiously biting his fingernails. I noticed and pulled his hand away. This was another nervous habit Ichigo had that I had picked up on.

"First of all, stop that," I started, still holding onto his hand as he looked down at me. "And second of all, you have nothing to worry about." I honestly wasn't completely sure if that was true, but didn't want him to worry.

He nodded and mummbled an apology. He didn't attempt to pull his hand away and I decided to keep a hold of it. When he realized that I didn't plan on letting go unless he insisted on it, he slid his fingers through mine and we continued down the hallway, getting smirks from some. I didn't care, I ignored them and allowed my smile to widen.

We got to our first hour class and I finally pulled away from Ichigo to sit my books on my desk. While I had my back turned to him and the door I heard a familiar voice say, "Hey Rukia, long time no see."

Turning around I smiled widely at the tall redhead standing in the doorway. "Hey, Renji. It's good to see you too."

He crossed the room in three steps and planted his hand on my head teasingly. "Yeah yeah," he said, returning the gesture. "So, where's your friend?"

I smirked before replying. "Why do you ask?"

"You said you had every class with this guy. I just assumed he'd be with you," he answered, ignoring my smirk.

"Well, he's right there. I'm not sure how you missed him when you walked in."

Renji turned around quickly and gave Ichigo a skeptical look. Ichigo held his gaze for a second before nervously looking down at me. I smiled at him warmly, hating to see him like that.

Renji approached him in a way that made _me_ nervous. He held his hand out to Ichigo absently and Ichigo shook his hand timidly. I imagined how pitiful Ichigo's grip must have been.

"I'm Renji Abarai," he stated, his voice flat.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," Ichigo responded quietly, barely audible.

Turning aroud to face me while still having Ichigo's hand in his own, Renji asked, "What's with this guy?", causing Ichigo to pull his hand away and take a few steps away from him.

"Renji, leave him alone!" I scolded, glaring up at him. "There's nothing wrong with Ichigo. _You're_ the problem. Why are you acting so intimidating?"

"I shook his hand!" he responded definsivley.

"Whatever, Renji, just leave him alone," I demanded, getting Renji to at least walk away from him. He walked up to me again and shoved his hands in his pockets, looking annoyed.

"Whatever," he muttered. "You're coming Saturday, right?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, I'll be there," I stated, looking up at him blankly.

"What about him?" he asked, gesturing towards Ichigo.

"He's not sure, I'll let you know before the end of the week."

"Fine," Renji stated. "I've gotta get to first hour, see ya Rukia," he said, not giving me the chance to respond before leaving.

I sighed and looked over at Ichigo, who was still standing in the same place he had been after stepping away from Renji. He was looking down at his feet, his thumb picking at his other fingernails, a habit he did in replacment of biting his nails. "I'm sorry, Ichigo, I didn't expect him to be so rude."

Shaking his head, Ichigo muttered, "It's fine."

I walked over to him and placed my hand on his arm. He pulled away and looked up. His normal scowl was on his face as he said, "I said it's fine," his tone harsh.

"Okay...sorry," I responded, not sure why he was angry.

He sighed and shook his head slightly. "Sorry..."

"Don't worry about it," I said with a smile. "You're not fond of Renji, huh?"

He looked up at me, guilt in his eyes. "No, that's not what I-"

"It's alright I wouldn't like him either if he treated me like that."

Ichigo didn't answer, he only nodded slightly.

"So," I started, changing the subject. "You wanna stay after school and practice?"

"Yeah, sure," he said, sitting in his seat. More students started to come into the classroom as the five minute bell rang, so I walked over to Ichigo's desk and stood next to him, almost eye level with him as he sat.

"After practicing, do you want to come over for dinner? Hisana's getting impatient," I said, rolling my eyes while smiling. That was what she had said, even though she had made her offer two days before.

Before answering Ichigo laughed quietly. "Yeah, okay. I'll have to call my dad and let him know."

"Alright," I answered, noticing the sensei standing in front of the class as the bell rang, signaling me to sit down. Sensei gave me an aggravated look and I nodded. "See ya, Ichigo," I said, going to my seat and sitting down.

Michiru Ogawa, Hisagi Shuhei's girlfriend and an excilent second violinist, leaned over, filling the small space between our desks. She sat on the other side of me. "What's with you and Kurosaki?" she asked, a smile on her face.

"Nothing," I answered, smiling back at her before pressing a finger to my pursed lips. "Sh."

She rolled her eyes, still smiling, and pulled away.

_-:-_

That week went by pretty fast. Renji continued to talk to me like everything was normal, but he pretty much ignored Ichigo completely. Though it annoyed me, it was better than Renji trying fight Ichigo for any stupid reason. By Thursday I had convinced Ichigo to come with me to hang out with me and Renji and the others.

Saturday rolled around and I arrived at the twins' birthday party at around noon. It was fun. I had bought them a few outfits and got them each a giftcard to places Ichigo told me they liked. Isshin was grateful and all four of the Kurosaki's told me I "shouldn't have", but I told them all it was no trouble. After we had some cake I helped clean up the place and noticed Ichigo getting his shoes on.

Cocking an eyebrow, I looked up at him and asked, "What are you doing? We don't have to leave until-"

He held a finger to his lips. "_Sh_."

I smiled and nodded, not knowing why he wanted to sneak off. After saying goodbye to the Kurosaki's and getting a hug from both of Ichigo's sisters and his father, Ichigo and I made our way to the truck. As I pulled myself into the passenger seat and buckled up, I looked over at him and asked, "Why'd you want to leave so early?"

"Because I want to take you somewhere," he said, pulling out of his driveway, focusing on the road.

"Well, why'd you have to lie about it?"

"Because Dad doesn't like me going there for 'no reason'," he answered, still not giving me a glance.

"And where is this place?" I questioned, not at all worried about it.

"You'll see," he responded in a teasing tone.

About a half an hour later we were pulling into a cemetery, causing me to give Ichigo a strange look. He smiled and ignored it, pulling further into the place.

"What are we doing here, Ichigo?" I asked, a little concerened now.

As he killed the engine and opened the door he said, "I want you to meet my mother," his tone light as a smile crossed his features.

I nodded and got out also. He grabbed my hand after grabbing a bag from the bed of the truck and led me through the maze of stones. He didn't glance at the names in the rock at all, seeming to have the route memorized. He suddenly stopped and sat infront of a particular tombstone, pulling me with him. On the stone, the words _Masaki Kurosaki, loving wife and mother_ were engraved in it.

I bit my lip, feeling guilty for never asking about Ichigo's mother before. I had just assumed she was out of the picture, but not...

"Thirsy?" Ichigo asked, pulling a bottle of chilled Dr. Pepper out of his bag and handing it to me, not waiting for me to respond. "There's food in here too," he stated absently, pulling out his own bottle and opening it, taking a long swig.

I thanked him quietly and took a small drink. After recapping my beverage, I looked down at my hands. After a few minutes of silence, Ichigo looked over at me and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I just...," I began. "I'm sorry about your mother."

Shrugging he said, "Thanks, but it happened awhile ago."

"How did it...happen?" I asked, trying to be as sensitive as possible.

"She had cancer. A lot like Yuzu's actually. She found out she had it while she was pregnant with Yuzu and Karin. They didn't think she would make it during birth, but she was okay. About a year and a half later she passed away."

I nodded and looked up at him, unable to keep my emotions from being written all over my face. Of course he noticed and said, "What? I told you it was fine." He looked and sounded amused. "What about you? Hisana's your sister, where's your parents?"

I blinked, not expecting him to ask. "Uh, they passed away when I was a baby too. My mom during birth and a few days later my father killed himself. Said he couldn't stand to live without her. That left Hisana with me. She was only sixteen, but they kept us together. She said when she was eighteen she wanted to get custody of me and raise me herself."

Ichigo nodded, watching me intently while I explained it all. "Why isn't Hisana married?"

I laughed before saying, "I don't know. She's always wrapped up in something she's doing. I don't know how she stays so busy, she doesn't have a job. She doesn't need to with all the money my parents left for us."

Ichigo nodded and looked over at his mother's tombstone absently. That brought another subject to mind. "So your family lost their money from your mother and sister's treatments?" I asked, sounding serious again.

"Yeah, pretty much. My dad used to be a doctor when I was younger. When he found out my mom had cancer he kept missing work to take care of her, especially during the pregnancy. It didn't take long before he got fired for missing so much work. Then we had no income and had to pay all the hospital bills. Dad hasn't been able to get out of debt since then and of course it's been even more impossible with Yuzu sick now."

Ichigo was still avoiding my gaze as he explained. His eyes were distant and filled with sorrow. I felt horrible, I couldn't imagine being broke my whole life and having to deal with losing two members of my immediate family. I felt so guilty for him and it only made me want to help his family more.

As he continued to stare off my hand found it's way to his face, my fingertips slightly grazing his cheek. He turned at my touch and smiled, seeing the pity in my eyes, I'm sure. Grabbing my hand he said, "Stop, Rukia," his face tinting pink as he looked away again. I squeezed his hand carefully and scooted closer to him.

We sat there and talked the whole day practically. He had brought plenty of food and drinks, we really had no reason to move. As the sun started to sink into the horizon and the temperature began to drop, I pulled myself close to Ichigo, hugging onto him for warmth. He awkwardly draped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer.

Looking down at my watch absently I saw that it was fifteen minutes past seven. I remembered how long of a drive it was to the graveyard and pulled away from Ichigo unwillingly. "We better get going. It's already seven-fifteen."

He nodded and stood, helping me after he had collected our trash in his bag. Draping his bag over his torso, he turned back to the stone in front of us and said, "See ya later, Mom. Love you." His voice was surprsingly loud and calm. I was sure he would feel uncomfortable speaking to his deceast mother in front of me, but even something as personal as that was not a problem.

We walked back to the truck and got in. Ichigo threw his bag in the back seat and started the vehicle. Turning around, Ichigo headed toward Karakura Town. The way back was filled with easy conversation about anything that came to mind. As we started to approach the movie theatre I noticed Ichigo grow quiet, his expression nuetral except for his scowl. He was nervous again.

"Don't worry about it, Ichigo. We're going to see a movie, there won't be much conversation. Nothing to panic about," I said, trying to be reasurring.

Nodding, he opened his door and quickly walked around the front of the truck, opening my door for me and helping me out. I grabbed his hand and smiled up at him. "No worries, take a deep breathe," I said teasingly.

Smiling back he muttered, "Shut up."

Pulling away from him, I led him into the theatre's lobby, spotting Renji's tall self easily. I approached him with Ichigo behind me. With him was Hisagi and Michiru. They were standing away from us, chatting about something.

"Hey Rukia," he said, smiling down at me. "Glad you made it."

"Sorry we were late. We weren't anywhere near here when I realized that it was already after seven."

"No problem," he answered, glancing at Ichigo for a second before returning his gaze to me.

"Anyway," I started. "I'll be right back, gotta get our tickets."

"Got 'em," Renji replied, handing me two.

"Oh...Well, then why are we waiting out here?" I asked.

"Waiting on Mina," Renji said, rolling his eyes.

Right as Renji spoke her name, the girl emerged from the restroom, approaching us eagerly. "Hey Rukia, it's good to see you!" She waved at me absently before taking her place next to Renji and slipping her hand into his. Mina Aburamai had been dating Renji for a little over a year and they never seemed to be away from each other except at school. Her being a Sophomore and Renji being a Junior meant they were usually on complete differnt sides of the school. The only class they had together was Orchestra. Mina played the viola, she was second chair for the same reason her boyfriend was.

"Hello, Mina. It's good to see you too," I said, smiling at her.

She glanced behind me and saw Ichigo, her face lighting up. "Oh, Kurosaki's come too?"

At the mention of his name, Ichigo looked up at her, his expression blank.

"Yeah, we were hanging out today, so I asked if he wanted to come. It was Renj's idea, really," I answered, smirking up at said redhead.

"Aw, how sweet of you, Renji," Mina said, smiling at his annoyed face.

"Can we go now?" he retorted, officially pissed off.

"Yeah yeah, calm down," I answered. "You guys go ahead, I'm going to get something to eat." They nodded and started toward the theatre's hallways. I noticed Ichigo wasn't following them, but I didn't expect him to. He took his place next to me and laid his hands on the counter, looking down at them. I glanced at his hands also and noticed how torn up his fingernails looked. His nerves must have been in horrible condition.

"You alright?" I asked, looking back up at him while I waited for the only person working at the counter to hurry up.

"Yes, thanks," he answered, not looking up at me. I smiled and nodded as the worker approached me.

"How may I help you?" he asked, grinning down at me. His name tag said "Hello, my name is Kon" and had the cinema's name printed on it.

"I'd like a large popcorn, a large Dr. Pepper, and a big bag of sour skittles," I said, ignoring the boy's flirty manor.

"Of course, no problem," he said, turning back to the popcorn maker.

I looked up at Ichigo and said, "I won't be able to eat all this myself, you'll have to help me."

He nodded, a small smile on his face.

Turning back to Kon, I handed him a twenty. He took it and left the cash register open, not handing me my change. Instead he grabbed a napkin and a pen, scribling something on it. He slid it across the counter and I saw a phone number sloppily printed on the white cloth. He directed his grin up at me and I rolled my eyes.

Before I could do anything Ichigo grabbed the napkin and said, "Thanks." Rolling it into a ball, Ichigo tossed it into the trash and glared at Kon, his glare darker than I had ever seen it.

The worker backed down, obviously intimidated by Ichigo. "Sorry, man," he said, handing me my change and shutting the cash register, turning away from us.

I smiled up at him as he avoided my gaze. "What if I wanted that?" I asked, teasing him.

His face was red and his glare faltered slighlty, a hint of a frown crossing his features. "Then I'll get it out of the trash for you," he said.

I laughed and allowed my smile to grow. "Don't do that, I don't want it," I said, handing him the change. "Keep that in your pocket, will you? My hands are full." With that I grabbed the popcorn, drink and waited for Ichigo to take the candy. He slid the change into his pocket, grabbed the skittles, and took the large cup from me, insisting he carry something other than the candy.

We went into the theater, finding the others quickly in the dark. I sat next to Renji and motioned for Ichigo to sit on my other side. He sat and placed my Dr. Pepper in the cup holder, handing me the bag of skittles I had perchased.

During the movie I continually nagged Ichigo to eat something or have a drink of my Dr. Pepper. Eventually, everytime I took a drink I'd hand him the cup and demand he drink some. I really hadn't planned on finishing it alone and I knew Ichigo didn't have any money for his own, so my plan worked out.

The movie was a horror, which I loved. But it was so gory, that I couldn't take. During a scene someone had their limbs cut off by a guy with a chainsaw and I couldn't watch. I turned toward Ichigo and hid my face in his chest, earning a low chuckle from him. I noticed Renji glance at me a few times, looking annoyed, but I ignored him.

After the movie was done we all walked into the lobby, the couples holding hands and Ichigo and I walking close. I looked up at Renji and said, "I think I better get home."

"What? Why?" he asked.

"Ichigo and I have been out all day," I answered.

"So? Hisana won't care if you stay out late. If he needs to leave then I'll give you a ride home," Renji answered, sounding annoyed.

"Thanks, but I'm tired anyway, I really should get home."

Renji rolled his eyes and muttered, "You knew you had plans, you shouldn't have been out all day." His tone was scolding, sounding what I imagined a father would sound like.

"That's really none of your business, Renji," I retorted, glaring up at him. "What's your problem?"

"Don't give me that bull shit, Rukia. I have a right to be mad when you're ditching your friends for a complete stranger!" he shouted, not caring that he was gaining attention. Mina pulled on his hand and whispered something to him, trying to calm him down. Renji ignored her.

"I'm not ditching you! I came and saw the movie, didn't I? And Ichigo's not a stranger! He's my friend!" I exclaimed.

Rolling his eyes, Renji said, "Whatever, you bitch."

"Shut the hell up!" Ichigo jumped in, standing in front of me. He came to my defense, but the shocking part was that he was actually standing up to Renji. Not many people would do that, and the fact that Ichigo was made me proud but more afraid.

"Mind your own fucking business!" Renji shouted. They continued to scream at each other, but I could barely understand what they were saying. They were both screaming at the same time.

Suddenly Renji threw a punch, landing it in Ichigo's face. Ichigo punched him back and before they could hurt each other further I jumped in between them. Mina stood in front of Renji, pushing him away, her hands planted against his chest. I standing in front of Ichigo, holding onto his arms. I kept asking him if he was okay, but he didn't answer me. He didn't act like he heard me at all, he only glared deeply while grinding his teeth together in efforts to stay quiet. The manager rushed towards us and demanded we get out. We left quickly and regrouped in the parking lot, Mina still blocking Renji's way. I stayed in front of Ichigo also, although he seemed pretty calmed down. By then Hisagi and Michiru had left, not wanting to be involved. Honestly, I think Michiru was scared, but I didn't blame her. So was I.

I turned around and glared at Renji. "I'll see you on Monday," I said sternly, not sure of what else to say. I didn't want to blame him, it's not like Ichigo wasn't screaming too. With that I grabbed Ichigo's hand and headed towards his truck. I glanced back at them and saw Mina nudging Renji's toward his car as he still atempted to cool down.

As we got into the vehicle I looked over at Ichigo and watched him. He looked timid and shy again. He looked ashamed of himself.

"Thank you, Ichigo," I said, placing my hand on his arm. He nodded and started the truck. On our way to my house we both stayed quiet. It wasn't weird, but it wasn't really comfortable either. As he pulled into my driveway and killed the engine, he opened his door and went around to open mine also. Walking me to the door, he stopped and looked down at me.

"I'm sorry I caused so much trouble between you and Renji," he said, his brow creasing. By now his left eye was brusinly, a dark purple circle under it. The bruise made him look pitiful.

"Don't apologize. Renj brought this on himself. He's an ass to you for no reason. He was being pissy, he can just get over it. I'm glad you stuck up for me," I said, grabbing his hands. He lightly squeezed my hands and nodded, still looking guilty.

I smiled at tugged on his hands, getting his attention. He lifted his gaze from the ground, looking at me. I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him, obviously surprising him. He kissed me back but ended it shortly. Instead of that disappointing me like I thought it would, I found it rather adorable. As I pulled away from him he looked back at his feet.

"See you Monday, Ichigo," I said, tugging on his hands.

He looked up at me, his face beat red. "See ya," he muttered before carefully pulling away from me and getting into his truck. As I watched him drive away I felt my smile widen. _What a night..._

_-:-_

Okay, there's chapter seven! :D It's so full of drama, I hope you all like it! :)

It's quite long, ne? I'm proud! :D

Anyway, please review! :3

I hope nothing's spelled wrong, I keep looking and looking, but I can't see a single red line. And the fact that this chapter is over 5,000 words, there HAS to be something spelled wrong...I must be missing it...Ha ha, sorry if there is! :P


	8. Chapter 8

Okay, it's been a few days, but I'm back with chapter eight! :D

Here it is! :)

_-:-_

After Ichigo was out of sight I slipped into my house and found Hisana sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn on her lap. She was waiting for me.

"Ruki, you're home!" she exclaimed, smiling up at me as I slipped my shoes off.

"Yeah, I am. And you've got to hear what happened, Sana!" I said excitedly, sitting on the couch next to her.

"Oooh, what happened?" she asked, eating a few pieces of the yellow popcorn.

"Okay," I started, pulling my legs under myself in Indian style. "So, me and Ichigo went to his house and the party. It went fine-" I began as she cut in.

"Oh, did the girls like their gifts?" she asked, smiling happily.

"They loved it, thanks for the tip. Anyway, so after the party Ichigo snuck me off to a cemetery in his old town. We visited his mother's grave and talked all afternoon."

Her smile widened. "How cute," she said.

Rolling my eyes while smiling also I said, "Yeah, yeah. _Anyway_, Ichigo told me that his mother died when he was really young. She died of cancer like Yuzu's. His dad used to be a doctor, but he got fired for missing work when he took care of Masaki. That's Ichigo's mother. That's what started their financial regression."

"Aw, that's so sad."

I nodded. "Well, then we went to the movie theater and Renji was acting like a dick," I started.

"_Rukia_," Hisana said sternly, not approving of my choice of words.

"Sorry, but it's true."

"Why?"

"He...doesn't like Ichigo," I said.

"But why? Who could possibly have a problem with Ichigo?" she asked, causing me to smile again.

"I don't know. He says he's just watching out for me, but I don't know," I answered, taking a handful of popcorn and eating a few pieces.

"Do you think he likes you?" Hisana asked, leaning forward and cocking an eyebrow.

"No, definitely not. He's still dating Mina, he loves her. He's just my friend, he knows that and he's fine with it."

"Well, then I really don't know why he'd be so rude to Ichigo," she said, her brow creasing.

"That's not the worst part," I continued, getting her full attention again.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. After the movie I told Renji I had to leave and he got all mad because we were supposed to hang out afterwords. Well, he was getting all pis-, uh, angry and stuff and then he called me a bitch."

Hisana gasped and grabbed my hand. "How rude."

"Yeah, well, Ichigo got mad and told Renji to shut the hell up. They kept yelling at each other and then Renji punched him," I said, nodding when Hisana looked even more surprised.

"Poor Ichi," she whispered, cupping her hands around her mouth.

"I know. And then, Ichigo hit Renji back! Before they could hurt each other me and Mina pulled them apart. Ichigo got a black eye."

"Are they okay?" she asked, concern filling her voice.

"Yeah. Renji seemed fine, just really mad. And Ichigo was okay," I finished, smiling slightly.

"Okay, so what happened after they cooled off?" Hisana asked, not seeming to notice my giddiness.

"Well, Ichigo drove me home and I was thanking him for sticking up for me. He felt _so_ guilty about it, he kept apologizing. I told him it was fine," I continued, trying to keep my smile off my face. I wasn't necessarily comfortable talking to Hisana about kissing him.

Unfortunately, she noticed as I had a harder time. "What? Are you leaving something out?" she asked, smiling also.

Sighing slightly and allowing my grin to cross my features, I felt my cheeks heat up. "Well, Ichigo walked me to the door-" I began.

"And he kissed you?" she guessed, grabbing me by the shoulders excitedly.

Laughing, I shook my head. "No."

"Aww," she whined, her smiled quickly turning into a frown.

"I...kissed him," I said shyly.

Her smile returned quickly. "Really?"

Nodding, I glanced away from her.

"Did he pull away?" she asked.

"Nope," I answered.

"He kissed you back!" she exclaimed, hugging onto me tightly.

"Ow, Sana," I started, laughing again. "Calm down!"

As she pulled away from me she tapped me on the nose with her index finger. "So I guess Ichigo really was _okay_." Her voice was teasing and giddy.

"Shut up." I demanded, unable to wipe my smile off my face.

"So, are you guys dating or something?" she questioned.

"I don't know. He was too freaked out to speak," I said lightly.

"That makes sense. I'm so excited for you two!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, well, when are you going to get your own relationship?" I asked, turning on her with a grin. "I mean, I've only known of you dating once. Since I was born that is. And you never talk about guys you meet...wherever it is you go."

Laughing, she turned pink immediately. "Fine. I'm just not too appealing anymore, I guess," she said.

"What are you talking about? You're only thirty-three. And you're gorgeous, have you seen yourself?"

"Thanks, but not too many men have found an interest in me," she answered, brushing some hair behind her ear.

"What about that guy you met at the coffee shop last weekend? The one who gave you his number? Byaku-something."

Her cheeks tinted pink. "Byakuya. I was too nervous to call him, it's been too long. He'll think I'm rude," she said.

"Well, first thing tomorrow we'll call him," I said, smiling at her. Before she could protest there was a knock on the door, surprising both of us.

Hisana handed me the bowl of popcorn and went to the door, absently pulling her sweatshirt's sleeves up to her skinny elbows before opening the door. "Ichigo," she said, obviously surprised, causing me to look up also.

"Hey, sorry to just drop by," he said, his voice quiet and low.

"No, not at all. Oh, my, look at your poor eye," she said, reaching up and lightly brushing her finger against his cheek.

"It's okay," he said, not seeming uncomfortable at all. "I just brought Rukia her bag, she left it in the truck," he answered, holding up my hand bag.

"Come on in, she's right here," Hisana answered, pulling away from him and stepping away from entrance.

Ichigo took a step in the door and looked over at me. "Here, Rukia, you forgot this," he said, stepping closer to me, handing me my bag.

"Thanks," I answered, smiling up at him widely.

He returned the gesture timidly before turning back to Hisana, who was grinning at him. "Uh, I'll see you later," he said, backing up slightly, speaking to both me and my sister.

"Oh, alright, Sweety. Be careful on your way back," she said, standing on her tiptoes and hugging onto him. Again, her actions resembled a mother, I was beginning to find more adorable than surprising.

He lightly hugged her back as a small smile creeped on to his face. "Thanks," he answered, pulling away and waving at me. After that he left.

"Well, that was sweet!" she said, turning towards me with her hands on her hips.

"Yes, it was," I answered absently, standing. "I'm going to bed, I'm exhausted. We'll call that Byakuya fellow first thing in the morning, alright?" I asked, stepping onto the first step and turning around to look at her, bag in hand.

"Sure, alright." Hisana rolled her eyes while maintaining a smile.

"Night Sana, love you," I said, smiling at her annoyance.

"Goodnight, Ruk. I love you, too. Sleep well," she answered, grabbing the popcorn bowl and heading to the kitchen as I ascended the rest of the stairs. As I went into my room and got out of the loose blue dress I had been wearing, I slipped on a pear of sweatpants and a T-shirt.

I was sure I would have a hard time falling asleep, but thankfully my exhaustion got the better of me. In mere minutes I was in a deep slumber.

_-:-_

The next day I woke and didn't bother changing before heading down stairs. I found Hisana in the kitchen making french toast. She had picked a flower from our back yard and put it in a small vase meant for one or two flowers.

"Morning Sana," I said, getting her attention.

"Hello, Rukia. Sleep okay?" she asked, smiling up at me.

"Yeah, thanks."

"Yep. You want some french toast?" she asked.

"Not until we give this Byakuya guy a call," I said, grinning up at her.

"Rukia..."

"No, Hisana. You're not getting out of this. Come on, I'll talk to him," I said, sitting at the table after grabbing the phone and the piece of paper the man had given my sister. She rushed over to me and sat next to me.

"Rukia, what are you doing?" she asked while I dialed.

"Calling him,' I said, holding the phone up to my ear.

"Rukia!"

"Shh!" I scolded her, getting her to quiet down. "Hello?" I asked as a man with a deep, serious voice answered. "May I talk to Byakuya please," I asked, feeling a little foolish for not knowing his last name.

"This is him," he said. "Is this Hisana?" he questioned.

My smile widened at his great guess. "No, this is Hisana's little sister, Rukia. Look, my sister really wants to go out with you, she just hasn't had the balls to call you," I said, getting slapped in the arm from her.

"Rukia!" she exclaimed, getting a quiet laugh from the man on the other line.

"Is that her?"

"Yep. I'd allow you to talk to her, but she's panicking at the moment."

"Okay, well, ask her if next Friday sounds good," he stated.

"Trust me, any night will be fine," I said. "Friday sounds great! You can pick her up at eight. No seafood, it makes her sick. Something nice, she loves to get dressed up. She'll see you then. Thanks," I stated, hanging up and looking up at my shocked sister.

"Ruk...what did you just do?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"I got you a date with a very nice sounding man. A fun one too. You get to dress up and he's going to come get you like a gentleman! I think you'll have a blast!" I exclaimed, really happy for her.

"...Thanks, Rukia," she said, smiling shyly at me.

"Of course. He'll be here at eight, so give yourself plenty of time to get ready," I responded, patting her hand as she smiled brightly.

The rest of the day consisted of me sitting on the couch, doing my homework. Around three O' clock there was a knock on the door. I looked up, cocking an eyebrow and standing. Opening the door I saw Ichigo standing in front of me, a frown on his face. "Ichigo...Is everything okay?" I asked, concern leaking into my voice.

"Yeah, I just...wanted to know if I could hang out for awhile," he said, quieter than usual.

"What happened? Did something happen?" I asked, looking over his shoulder, noticing his truck wasn't in the driveway. "How'd you get here, Ichigo?"

"I walked," he said absently.

"You _walked_?" I asked, worry sinking in as he nodded. "What's going on?"

He looked away again, scratching the back of his head nervously. "Me and my dad got into a fight. He told me to leave. I'm sorry for just coming over uninvited," he said, looking down at his feet.

I grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. "You wanna talk about it?" I questioned, sitting on the couch and pulling him down next to me.

He shook his head and folded his hands in his lap. Nodding, I grabbed his hand and leaned closer to him. "You can stay as long as you need to. And don't worry, you're always welcome here."

"Thanks, Rukia," he said, squeezing my hand carefully. Hisana walked into the room as we sat on the couch together, clad in a gray pencil skirt and a white button up blouse, her tall heels clicking against the floor. Her hair was pulled up in a bun, her frames and her stubborn, messy piece that stuck in between her eyes hung free from the bun. "Ichigo?" she asked, smiling down at us. "I didn't know you were coming over today."'

"He wasn't planning on it," I said, looking up at her seriously. "He got into a fight with his dad, he walked over here. He's going to hand out for awhile."

"Oh," she started, her expression turning upset as a frown began to cross her features. "I'm sorry, Sweety. You're welcome to stay as long as you need to." As she finished she crossed the room, click after click until she was leaning over him, hugging onto him again. He hugged her back tightly, causing me to worry further.

As she pulled away from him, she patted his face lightly, smiling down at him. "You hungry?"

He returned the gesture and shrugged. "Yeah, kind of." His answer surprised. Ichigo was getting so much more confident, I was really proud of him.

"Alright, I'll go make something to eat," she answered, straightening and placing her hands on her hips.

"Thank you," he answered as she nodded and went to the kitchen. He looked over at me and smiled bashfully.

"Good job, Ichigo," I said, smiling back at him as he rolled his eyes.

"Thank, I guess," he responded, leaning back against the couch. "What have you been doing today?"

"Nothing much. I got up, got Hisana a date, and did some homework," I stated, discreetly scooting closer to him.

"Really?" he asked. "With who?" He seemed to have noticed my "discreetness" because he pulled himself off the couch slightly, replacing himself right next to me.

"Some man she met at the coffee shop last weekend after dropping me off at your house. His name's Byakuya something. He sounded okay on the phone," I answered, my smile widening at his actions.

"You talked to him?"

"Yeah, Hisana was too nervous. I called him and told him that Hisana was shy. He seemed to really like her, he remembered her name," I stated.

"Yeah, I think he's in love," Ichigo teased.

"Shut up!" I responded, smacking him playfully. "He met her _once_ and the last time he talked to her was a week ago. Not many men would remember a woman's name five minutes after they met."

"Yeah, yeah," he said, absently leaning closer to me.

After Ichigo, Hisana, and I ate a late lunch, Ichigo and I sat on the couch and and watched a few movies. By the end of the second one he was almost passed out, but I refused to let him fall asleep at six forty-five. Before I got the chance to shake him awake there was another knock on the door. I was about to carefully pull away from Ichigo until Hisana came clicking into the living room. "I've got it," she said, smiling down at me before she opened the door. "Hello, can I help you?

From my angle I couldn't see the man but his voice told me immediately who he was, even before he introduced himself. "Hey, sorry to bother you," he started, sounding upset. His tone was so similar to his son's in that state. "I'm Isshin Kurosaki, is Ichigo here?" His question was full of worry. He must have been looking for Ichigo for awhile.

"Yes, come in. He fell asleep watching a few movies with Rukia," she stated, stepping back and gesturing toward us on the couch.

Isshin sighed with relief, smiling at Hisana. "Thanks so much for letting him stay here," he said.

"It's not problem at all. We love to have him around," she answered, smiling back at him.

Kurosaki's gaze returned to us and he looked more surprised than amused. "He really seems to have gotten close to you two," he stated while smiling at his sleeping son's form.

"We've gotten pretty attached to him too," my sister said, smiling down at me.

I was a little uncomfortable, but I knew they were both just proud of us. Still, I had reason to feel embarrassed. Ichigo's father was in the room while he was laying all over me and Hisana's smiling face didn't make it much better.

"Would you like some coffee, Kurosaki?" Hisana asked, directing her grin to him.

"No, thanks. I wouldn't want to-"

"Impose? Nonsense, it's my pleasure," she stated.

Isshin gave her a skeptical look while maintaining his smile.

"It's easy to see where your son gets his politeness from," she commented, answering his un-asked question.

"So, are you Rukia's mother?" he asked, changing the subject. My sister was right, he was a lot like Ichigo. He couldn't take a compliment.

"No, I'm her sister," she responded, used to the question.

"I didn't think so. You look too young to have a daughter Rukia's age," Isshin said, causing Hisana to laugh quietly.

"Thank you. But anyway, come have a cup of coffee. I'd love to get to know you," she said, gesturing towards the kitchen.

Shrugging, Isshin said, "If you insist."

"Of course. Rukia, if you'd like you can help Ichigo to one of the guest rooms. He seems exhausted."

"No, thanks, but I'm gonna get him home in a little while. No need for him getting too comfortable," Isshin interjected politely.

"Oh, alright. Well, then, at least let him take a nap, don't wake him, Rukia," Hisana said, her voice slightly scolding as if she had read my mind minutes before. With that they were in the kitchen.

I looked down at Ichigo, carefully pushing some hair out of his face as he continued to sleep, his head in now in my lap. _I wonder what this is really about? Why does Hisana want to talk to him?_ The thought rolled around in my mind for the next half an hour while Ichigo snoozed and our guardians spoke in the kitchen.

_-:-_

Alright, there you have it! :D Chapter eight! :P

I hope you all liked it! :3 Please review!

And by the way, there's nothing going on between Isshin and Hisana. That's what it seemed liked while writing it but there's not, promise! :D

Again, please review! :)


	9. Chapter 9

Okay, back for chapter nine! :D (Already, whoa!)

So, here we go!

_-:-_

Isshin and Hisana talked for a long time. After a half an hour, I grew irritated and carefully stood, sliding a still sleeping Ichigo onto the couch. I stood quietly and tiptoed toward the opening of the kitchen. Kneeling down, I eavesdropped, wondering what they could possibly be talking about for such a long time.

I heard my sister's voice speaking levelly. "So, Isshin. What was your argument with Ichigo about?" she asked calmly.

Ichigo's father sighed before going over a play by play of their fight. "I had asked Ichigo why he had written me a note telling me to take Yuzu to the doctor today. I hadn't scheduled an appointment. He told me the last time he took her to the doctor he scheduled the appointment. I told him I couldn't take her, I had to fill out the bills; I was already late sending them in. He told me he couldn't take her because he had a project to finish for school," Isshin started, his voice sounding guilty. "I started screaming at him and he yelled back. That really surprised me, but what he said made sense."

"What did he say?" Hisana asked in a supportive way. I could imagine her laying her hand on Isshin's arm or something, showing him her concern for them.

"He told me that he wasn't Yuzu and Karin's father. That he couldn't take care of them all the time, he had school," he began, his voice lowering as he managed to sound even more guilty. "He told me I needed to start being a father to all of them."

I felt a frown cross my features. I couldn't imagine Ichigo being so rude, but I knew there had to be a reason for his hurtful words. He and his father must have problems. And that's understandable. From what I had seen of Isshin, he seemed easy going and irresponsible in ways. Ichigo was timid, but always did what was best for others. He was really considerate, he was probably thinking of his sisters when he was saying these things. But it was still shocking.

"I'm sorry, Isshin," my sister said.

"Thanks. It was my fault, though. I just need to talk to him," Ichigo's father stated, obviously wanting to end the conversation. Hisana understood and did just that.

"Well, I don't mean to sound rude," she started, a smile making it's way into her voice. "But, I really want to help out your family."

"No, no," Isshin said right away. "Thanks, but by letting Ichigo stay here all the time is help enough. Your little sister really seems to make him happy and I know he's gotten really attached to you. That's really enough."

"But that's not out of the goodness of my heart," she returned, her voice beginning to hold a whiny note.

Laughing, Isshin said, "What do you mean?"

"I'm not doing that to help, I just really like Ichigo. He's such a good kid, I've gotten attached to him too. But I want to help out the rest of your family. I want to...Okay, please don't get insulted by my offer, okay? I'm doing this because I really, _really_ want to make things easier on you, I'm not pitying you," she started, her voice firm and serious. "Alright?"

"Okay, go ahead."

"I want to...write you a check," she said softly. "I want to give you some money and you can use it on whatever you need."

He was quiet for a moment, which scared me. I was sure he took it as an insult, that he was going to scream at Hisana or something. And if he tried that I had to be ready to run in and try to calm things down. _Hopefully he's as easy to calm as his son._

"Please, Isshin, I just want to help you. You're daughter's sick, you don't have a job, you have bills to pay. I really need to help you, I couldn't live with myself if I didn't say something," she continued.

He was quiet for another second before saying, "That would be...great, Hisana," he started, surprising me again. "But I can't just take it. You've got to let me do something for you."

A smile graced my lips as he answered. I was so relieved my sister hadn't hurt his pride.

"Well...," she began, trailing off before a smile entered her tone. "Sure, of course. I understand that." She was obviously just as happy as me. "You're a doctor, right? Well, how about if we need anything health wise, we give you a call. Does that sound fair?"

"Sure. But if you ever need help around the house, just let me know, okay?" he asked, talking about the "men's work" a house can need.

"Alright, we have a deal," Hisana said and I heard the movement of their flesh as they shook hands. Hisana's heels clicked as she was standing to get her purse from the living room. _Crap!_

Standing quickly, I ran to the couch and grabbed onto Ichigo's arms, trying to lift him as fast as possible. It took a few more moments and a lot more effort than I had expected for lifting such a scraggly boy, but I finally got him up in time to sit back on the couch and drop him on my lap. He woke up, startled right as Hisana entered the room. She approached the coffee table, picking up her purse from the small oak table. She came around the round coffee table and leaned in front of Ichigo's face, smiling widely. He was disoriented and looked like he was about to fall right back asleep. Hisana pushed some spikes off of his brow, kissing his head gingerly. Again, she resembled a mother, only this time she looked specifically like _his_ mother. And she looked at him just like a mother looks at her son.

Ichigo didn't seem to mind her gesture. He closed his eyes and seconds later he was asleep again. I smiled up at her, getting a returned grin as my sister stood up and went into the kitchen, having no idea that I had been listening to her and Isshin's private conversation.

Looking down at Ichigo, I absently messed with his hair, running my fingers through the orange spikes. He looked so content, but I guess he was. He didn't know his father was in the other room, and he didn't know that he was accepting a check from my sister. He really had no reason to worry at the moment. But I was glad he was resting. He had walked all the way to my house from his own. The drive alone was twenty minutes, I can't imagine walking that far. To some that may not seem like much, but I'm not too fit or athletic. He must have been exhausted.

Suddenly Isshin and Hisana entered the living room together, Isshin stuffing the folded check into his pocket. He approached Ichigo and I quickly and knelt down in front of Ichigo like Hisana had minutes before. He laid a massive hand on his son's back and shook him carefully. "Ichigo, wake up. It's time to go," he said quietly.

Ichigo's head slowly rose from my lap and he looked at his dad, surprise and confusion crossing his expression. "Dad?" he asked in a tired voice. "What are you doing here?" His tone took on it's usual timid tint.

"I'm here to take you home. Now come on, get off of Rukia," he said in a teasing tone.

Isshin's comment caused Ichigo to smile slightly and nod, sitting up. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and looked up at Hisana. "Thanks for everything, Hisana," he said, standing. "Bye Rukia, bye Hisana," he said, and then left with his father.

I looked up at my sister and smiled. "What did you talk about?" I asked, getting a grin from her as she rolled her eyes.

"I know you were listening to us, Rukia," she said, causing my smile to fall.

"What...What are you talking about?" I said, trying to play innocent.

"Don't even," she said with a laugh. "I'm surprised at you; as if I wasn't going to tell you!"

I smiled also and apologized. "I'm really surprised he accepted the money," I said to my sister as she took a seat next to me.

"Me too. I didn't think he'd take is willingly at all. I still hope I didn't insult him though," she answered.

"I'm sure you didn't. I wouldn't worry about it, Sana," I stated, patting her arm lightly, getting her to throw me another grin. I returned the gesture again and decided to ask her about how she had been treating Ichigo. "Hisana?"

"Yes?" she asked, gluing her eyes to mine.

"You really are close to Ichigo, aren't you?" I questioned, getting a confused look from her.

"Uh...I mean...yes. Does that bother you?"

"No, of course not!" I said, laughing at her interpretation of it.

"Oh. Then why do you ask?" Her expression returned to calm.

"Because. You seem to consider him like a child," I said, absently folding my hands in my lap.

"Well, yes. To be honest, I do see him as a child. He's so timid and cute, he acts like a very mature little boy sometimes, I guess I can't help it. Does it bother him?" she asked, frantic again.

"No, no, of course not. That's not what I meant. You seem to treat him like...your own child. Like he's your son." My statement caused her expression to return to a surprised state.

"Oh. Well..." She shrugged slightly, absently crossing one of her slim legs over the other. "Yeah, I guess. Sort of. Not like I'd _know_ what it's like to have a son, but...I guess my maternal side comes out more around him. I really can't help it. But, if you want, I'll stop," she said, still staring at me.

I shook my head. "Of course not. I think it's good for Ichigo. He needs a motherly figure. So don't worry about it. And thanks."

She nodded and smiled. "Alright." Suddenly she stood and stepped around the coffee table. I'm gonna go clean up the kitchen."

"Alright. I'm going to bed," I said, standing also and pushing some hair behind my ear.

"Already? It's only a little after eight," she said, cocking a concerned eyebrow. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Just exhausted. Thanks. And you better not stay up all night, Missy," I said, smiling at her as she nodded. After ascending the stairs I entered my room, turned the lights off right away, and laid on the bed. By the time my head hit the pillow I was out.

_-:-_

Okay, sorry it was so lame and short, this chapter. I'm exhausted and I gotta go somewhere tomorrow, so I really just wanted to write a little tidbit of a chapter. :/ Sorry people.

Hope you enjoyed anyway? Ha ah. Please review!


	10. Chapter 10

Okay, sorry it's been awhile. :) I might have a harder time updating now. I got a job! :D But yeah, it wont effect it too much, because I can only work a few times a week and for three or four hours a day, but yeah. I've been caught up in stuff so I'm sorry.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy chapter ten! :D

_-:-_

Monday was boring. In the morning I walked around with Ichigo, feeling horrible every time someone asked Ichigo how he got a black eye. He brushed off the question as we continued through the halls.

When I saw Renji I noticed right away that his cheek was bruised and slightly swollen from Ichigo's punch. He looked at me like he expected me to approach him, but I just glared at him before turning my gaze away and continuing to my destination, Ichigo next to me.

The only other mentionable occurrence that happened on Monday was fourth hour. I was sitting in my seat, which just happened to be right next to Renji's, staring ahead, pretending to listen to the teacher in hope that he would leave me alone. My hope was in vain.

I saw Renji glance at the front of the room from my peripheral vision, checking to see if the sensei was watching. The sensei's back was to us, so he quietly slid his desk closer to mine. Sighing, I laid my head in my hand, knowing he'd force conversation out of me. "Rukia," he attempted to whisper.

"What Renji?" I questioned through my teeth.

"You're still mad at me." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes, I am."

"Why? He hit me back. I could have beat the shit out of him, but I didn't. You should be glad." His words made my blood boil.

"Well, I'm **not**. You had no reason to throw the first punch, he was sticking up for me because _you_ were calling me a bitch!" I exclaimed, managing to keep my voice at a quiet level.

"You pissed me off, I was just mad. I'm sorry for calling you a bitch, but I'm not apologizing for hitting that ass. He was in my face, I had every right to," he answered, his apology meaning nothing to me.

"He's _not_ an ass! He's the sweetest guy I've ever met and he was taking care of me! Even if I don't need it, I know he'll be looking out for me! He's a great guy and you have no right to hate him! He's done nothing to you!" I continued, my voice getting louder, but not loud enough to be coherent to anyone I wasn't talking to. The sensei looked at us, cocking an eyebrow.

"Do you two need to speak in the hallway?" she asked, not being sarcastic at all. She was giving us the opportunity to let us leave class to talk.

"Yes!" I exclaimed, standing and waiting for Renji. He sighed and stood also, following me out to the hallway. I shut the door, not caring that every eye was on me, including Ichigo's.

"Why do you hate him, Renji?" I demanded angrily.

"He's an ass hole-"

"No he's not!"

"Shut up, you wanted me to explain, I am," he responded, annoyed. "He's an ass hole and he's a pussy. I can't walk up to him without him looking like he's fucking afraid! It pisses me off."

"He can't help it, Renji. You don't realize how intimidating you are. He's naturally timid, it's not something he can help. And I'm pretty sure he's proved he's no pussy. He's the only guy I know that would stand up to you like that, let alone punch you. Those reasons are stupid," I said, my voice calm again.

"Well, then, I don't know. I just do. I can't stand him," he continued, standing directly in front of me.

Sighing quietly, I leaned back against the wall. "Fine. You don't have to like him. But you need to at least pretend to be nice. Ichigo's my...he's a really close friend and so are you. I'm not choosing one over the other. And if I did do that, I'm sorry to say, but it wouldn't look good for you," I answered, getting a slight frown from him. "I really like him, Renji. You know that doesn't just happen for me. You're the only other guy I've ever liked," I started, smiling up at him. "That is until I came to my senses."

Rolling his eyes, a smile crossed his features.

"Imagine how you'd feel if I didn't like Mina. We would never be able to hang out. Don't do that to me."

He sighed before resting an arm along the wall behind me, leaning closer to me absently. "Fine. I'll just...ignore him," he said, looking down at me.

"Good!" I exclaimed, hugging onto him tightly. "Thanks, that means a lot to me," I continued, my voice muffled from his chest. I pulled away and we returned to the classroom. I caught Ichigo's attention right away. He cocked his eyebrow and I just smiled widely and gave him a thumbs up, causing him to smile back at me before I sat at my desk.

_-:-_

Before I knew it, it was Friday night. I called Hisana after school and told her Ichigo and I were walking to his house, so there was no need for her give us a ride. Instead of practicing after school, we decided to go to his house and work on a project we had to do for Language Arts. Our plans for the weekend were to hang out that night and start painting his house on Saturday. By then Hisana and I had painted a random storage room and fixed it up to look like a home office.

As we left the school Ichigo instinctively grabbed my hand, leading me toward his home. We spent the walk to his house with mild conversation, enjoying the calm atmosphere.

We got to his home and were greeted by Isshin's smiling face. By then Ichigo and Isshin had made up. Ichigo had explained to me the conversation they had had after his father picked him up from my house. Isshin had apologized for screaming at him and for expecting him to take care of his sisters in such a fatherly fashion. Ichigo had accepted it and apologized himself over what he had said. They were alright and acting normal again. Their relationship as father and son seemed to be a pretty good one. I mean, I never knew my parents and never considered Hisana as one, but they acted closer than most kids and their parents. Especially since Ichigo was a teenager.

After saying hello to Karin and Yuzu we did homework on the couch. As we sat close and laid our worksheets over our laps, we both rested our feet on the coffee table in front of the couch. Around seven we sat at the table and had dinner. I noticed Ichigo pushing his food around on his plate, not eating much. Usually he ate plenty, but tonight he was just looking down absently. I was concerned but didn't bother asking; I didn't want to pick at him in front of his family. Luckily Isshin noticed, seeming just as concerned.

"Hey, Ichigo, what's up? You've barely touched your food, are you alright?" he asked, absently leaning on his elbows.

His son shrugged, returning his gaze to the plate in front of him. "I'm fine, just not hungry."

"That's a first," I said, smiling over at him. He didn't give me a glance but a small smile found it's way onto his face.

"What do you mean, Rukia?" Isshin questioned, causing me to give him a confused look.

"Nothing much, he just always seems to be hungry," I answered.

"Not really," he continued. "He doesn't really eat much at all, not when he's home at least."

"Oh. Well, he always eats at my house," I stated, looking back at Ichigo for an explanation. Isshin's gaze turned to his son also.

Shrugging timidly, Ichigo brushed off the conversation. We allowed it, but I mentally reminded myself to ask him later.

After dinner Ichigo helped Yuzu to the couch while Isshin, Karin, and I cleaned up the kitchen. It was fifteen till eight and Isshin asked the girls if they wanted to go see a movie. They agreed and immediately started for the door, Karin helping Yuzu carefully, although she didn't need much help. Today was a good day for her.

"You two can come if you want," Isshin offered, smiling as I took my place next to Ichigo on the couch.

"No thanks, Dad," Ichigo said, absently, leaning back against the couch. He looked exhausted.

Raising his eyebrows teasingly, Isshin said, "Well, you better behave. We'll be back later, probably around ten-thirty." He waved before following his daughters out the door.

Smiling up at Ichigo, I said, "So, what now?"

He smiled back and shrugged, standing. "Wanna watch a movie?" he asked.

"Why not just go with your father?" I questioned.

"Because then we'd have to spend the afternoon with my dad," he answered. turning back to me as I laughed loudly. He smiled down at me before asking, "What do you want to watch?"

"I don't care," I answered. He turned and stuck in something at random, returning to the couch. As he sat back down I scooted closer to him and laid my head on his shoulder. He carefully slid his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer, a pleasant surprise. When I glanced up at him he looked like he was nervous, his unoccupied hand fidgeting with a rip in his jeans. My smile widened as I reached over and grabbed his hand tightly. He smiled back at me before relaxing, leaning more weight against me absently.

Halfway through the movie Ichigo slumped closer to be, laying his head on my shoulder. His arms found their way around my waist, causing me to think he was asleep. As I glanced over at him, his eyes slid to mine, his teeth baring as he sheepishly grinned at me. I smiled back at him, leaning my head against his before returning my attention to the television.

As we continued to sit on the couch comfortably while watching the TV intently, there was a sudden noise. Ichigo sat up immediately, staying silent as he listened. He stayed still and I was about to ask him what he thought it was, but there was another noise. It was glass breaking, causing me to scream, cringing toward Ichigo instinctively. He stood and grabbed something from behind the couch, sprinting in the direction of the noise.

"Ichigo?" I questioned, leaning over the arm of the couch to peer at his retreating form. In his hand he held a baseball bat, his grip tight as he searched his house. My eyes grew wide at the sight of him.

I stood and headed toward him, scanning the new room I had entered, Ichigo no where to be found. "What the hell are you doing?" I heard Ichigo scream before I heard a clunking noise. As I continued in Ichigo's path, I saw him raise his bat again only to slam it against the man who had broken in. The man crumpled to the floor before Ichigo tossed the bat aside and twisted his arm around his back roughly, holding him down. "Damn it, _another_ broken window! Stupid fucker." He grumbled the last of his angry comment.

I continued to just stare at him, eyes wide at his violent actions. He turned to me as he restrained the stranger. "Don't just stand there, call the cops!" he ordered, his glare deeper than usual. His tone was rude, but I didn't take it personally. There was a situation, that was all.

I ran back to the living room and grabbed the phone, immediately dialing 911 and biting my lip nervously.

_-:-_

An hour later and the police were driving away from Ichigo's home. He and I were standing in the doorway while watching them leave. After the police car was out of sight, Ichigo stepped back into the house; I followed him.

"Ichigo, are you alright?" I asked, taking my place next to him and grabbing his hand.

He nodded but didn't seem to notice my hand in his. He had started acting strange right after that man broke in, but that was expected I guess.

Ichigo sat back on the couch after pulling his hand away from mine carefully. His actions frustrated me, so I approached him, sitting on his lap, getting his attention again. He looked at me, slightly cocking an eyebrow.

"What's wrong, Ichigo?" I asked, resting a hand on his head, absently brushing some hair out of his face. He stiffened noticeably under my weight, his face slightly tinting pink.

"Nothing, sorry. I'm tired, that's all," he answered, leaning back against the couch, causing my hand to fall from his brow.

I was still concerned, but rested against the arm of the couch, still in Ichigo's lap. I rested my elbows against the arm, stretching my legs out over the couch. I took the last few minutes we had alone before his father and sisters got home to ask about what we talked about during dinner.

"Ichigo, why don't you eat at home?" I asked, looking up at his calm face.

"I do," he answered, not looking back at me.

"Okay, why do you eat less? I mean, your dad thought it was weird when I said you eat a lot, but you do," I pointed out.

Shrugging, he tried to get me to drop it, but I wouldn't. "Well?" I pressed.

"I just...," he started, sighing quietly. "There's not a lot here. Food, I mean. I want to make sure my sisters and Dad get enough, that's all."

I stared at him, amazed by how lightly he took his kind act. "Ichigo,...that's so sweet," I said quietly.

He shook his head, finally turning to look at me again. "It's really not-" he began; I cut him off by pressing my lips to his, obviously surprising him. He kissed me back, but this time he didn't pull away. Resting my hands against his chest, I pulled myself closer to him, deepening the kiss. His hands found their way to my hips, pulling me closer, his movements confident.

Suddenly the front door swung open, causing us to pull away from each other immediately, Ichigo's hands at his sides again. Unfortunately, his father had come in just in time to see us separate.

"I didn't think I'd actually have to worry," he said, his expression blank but a note of amusement was in his tone. He seemed shocked.

My face heated up slightly as I returned my gaze to Ichigo. His face was beat red as he avoided my stare. I slid off of his lap quickly, muttering an apology as Isshin chuckled and continued into the kitchen. Ichigo's sisters soon followed, not realizing mine or their brother's faces.

"Hey Ichi," Yuzu said, her voice weak.

Before he could answer Isshin said, "Ichigo, what happened to the window?" his voice angry. When he returned to the living room he was glaring down at his son.

"Someone tried to break in. The lights were off, me and Rukia were watching a movie, they must have thought no one was home," he answered, his tone unusually timid for talking to his father.

"And you just let them go?" he demanded, sounding angrier.

"No. The cops left a few minutes ago, they were here for about an hour."

"They took the guy with them?"

"Yes," Ichigo answered, resting his head in his hand. Again, I noticed how exhausted he looked.

Sighing, Isshin nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Alright. Well, help Yuzu get to bed, will you? I'm gonna block off the window."

"Okay," Ichigo answered, standing and grabbing Yuzu's hand, leading her toward her bedroom. Karin followed her brother, ready to aid him if needed. I stood and approached Isshin, who had retreated to the room with the newly broken window.

"Let me help," I said when I noticed him struggling to hold the plastic covering over the shattered glass and tape it still at the same time. I took the tape from his hands and began placing segmented pieces along the edges.

"Thanks," he said, his voice low. "It's not much, but it'll keep some shit out."

Nodding, I continued to tape the plastic to the molding of the window. "Do you...need any help fixing it?" I asked, obviously referring to money.

"No, no. Thanks Rukia, but this should do for now. There's two other windows like this, we'll live."

"Are you sure? It's not a problem at all, really," I said, my brow creasing.

"I'm positive."

"Okay, sorry I asked," I responded, thinking I had hurt his pride.

"It's fine, don't worry about it," he said, smiling down at me.

I returned the gesture before finishing the taping. As I handed it back to him I noticed Ichigo approach us. "Is Yuzu okay, Dad? She acted like she felt bad, but her and Karin kept saying there was nothing wrong. Did something happen?" he questioned, worry thick in his voice.

"No, nothing happened. Don't worry, she's fine," Isshin reassured him, giving his son a small smile.

"Are you sure?" he continued.

"Yes, stop worrying. Now, are you going to take Rukia home or what?" his father asked, absently laying a hand on my shoulder.

"Sure, I guess," he answered, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Well...," Isshin started, giving him a worried glance. "Maybe she should stay over tonight. It might not be a great idea for you to drive."

"Why do you say that?" Ichigo questioned.

"You're exhausted, Ichigo," I answered for his father. Isshin nodded in agreement.

"I'm fine. If you want to go home, I can take you-"

"I think I'll stay over tonight," I said to Isshin, smiling up at him.

"Alright," he stated, returning the gesture. "Ichigo, you take the couch tonight and make sure Ruk's comfortable," Isshin continued, ruffling his son's hair as he passed him, heading toward his room.

"I know, Dad," Ichigo said before his father had left the room.

I smiled up at him, silently asking him what was next. Returning the gesture timidly, he asked me if I was tired. Honestly, I wasn't, but I told him yes so he wouldn't refuse to sleep himself. He gave me a skeptical look, but nodded and led me to his room. His bed was already made and it was just as clean and bare as the last time I had seen it. He told me to hold on a second before exiting the small room.

I waited for him, sitting on his bed. Pulling my legs into Indian style, I carefully held my skirt in place. Ichigo returned, folded clothes in his hands, handing them to me. They were a pair of pajamas from one of his little sisters. Grabbing the clothes from his hands, I grabbed his outstretched hand and pulled him down on the bed, surprising him. His knee rested next to my leg as he leaned over me. I took the opportunity to wrap my arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. After a moment of hesitation he hugged me back carefully, still leaning over my small frame.

Smiling widely, I laid down on my back, pulling him down with me. Quickly he lifted himself off of me, resting his wait against his forearms. Allowing my eyes to slide closed, I rested my head against his chest.

"Are you okay, Rukia?" he asked quietly after moments of silence.

Smiling, I lifted my head, looking up at him, nodding. "I'm great," I answered, my smile widening. He returned the gesture in a bashful manor, resting his head on the bed next to mine. We laid there for a few minutes before Ichigo reluctantly sat up, pulling me with him. He attempted to stand, but I held him still, getting a confused but amused look.

Sitting up closer to him, I kissed him quickly on the mouth, letting him go unwillingly. He pulled away slightly before kissing me back, saying, "Good night."

"Night, Ichigo," I answered, smiling widely as I watched him leave the room. I stood and quickly changed into the pajamas he had gotten for me, tossing my skirt and blouse on the floor. After shutting off the lights, I quietly slipped under the comforter on Ichigo's twin sized bed and rolled onto my back, staring at the darkness engulfing the room. My mind flooded with thoughts of Ichigo as I had trouble sleeping. Right before I finally drifted off to sleep, I saw Ichigo's alarm clock, figuring out I had been lying awake for over two hours, lost in thought.

_-:-_

I woke early the next morning, surprised by the silence that seemed to fill the whole house. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes, quickly spotting Ichigo sitting on the edge of the bed, a book in hand. He was reading intently, not noticing me. His lips moved slightly as he read the words, his brows knit together in concentration. After scanning the book cover I saw that he was reading something by William Shakespeare called _Julius Ceasar_.

"Really, Ichigo? Shakespeare?" I asked, teasingly, startling him. "Sorry," I absently added.

"It's fine," he muttered.

"So, really? Shakespeare?" I repeated myself, smiling tiredly.

"Yes, really," he continued.

I laughed quietly and nodded, dismissing it.

After changing and having a light breakfast, Ichigo told his dad he was going to hang out at my house. We got in the truck and started toward my house, hand in hand. Our ride was filled with conversation, both of us seeming to be in great moods. We soon arrived at our destination and headed toward the front door, our hands still intertwined.

As I opened the door I saw a tall, dark haired man standing in the kitchen, not seeming to notice us as we walked in. He continued to talk quietly as he folded his arms across his chest. I pulled Ichigo into the kitchen by the hand, finding Hisana at the counter, pouring two cups of coffee. The man looked down at me, seeming to notice me right away.

"You must be Rukia," he said, a small smile crossing his stern features.

"Oh, Byakuya!" I said, smiling back at him. "It's nice to meet you." Reaching my unoccupied hand out, he took it and shook my hand firmly. "This is Ichigo, Ichigo, this is my sister's _friend_. Byakuya." With that I raised my eyebrows and grinned at Hisana, who was now facing us. She smiled back as her face tinted red.

"Hello, Ichigo," Byakuya said politely, shaking his hand also. I assumed Ichigo would have a weak, nervous grip like when he shook hands with Renji, but he seemed to have a fine one. Ichigo gave Byakuya a stern look, confusing me.

"Hey," he mumbled back, pulling his hand away.

"So," I started, ignoring Ichigo's strange behavior. "He stayed the night?" I asked, her face changing color, a deep crimson.

"No, Rukia," she said sternly. "He had to work late yesterday, we rescheduled our date for today. After having some coffee we're going."

"Oh, alright," I answered, directing my grin at Byakuya. "Have fun."

He smiled back at me, slightly rolling his eyes. "Thanks."

They sat at the table after Hisana got their coffee fixed with cream and sugar. "Do either of you want any?" she asked, looking from me to Ichigo.

"Ew, no thanks," I said, my nose wrinkling in disgust.

"Sure," Ichigo answered, getting a cup from the cabinet and pouring himself some before Hisana got the chance to stand. He took a drink, causing Hisana to look disgusted as well.

"Sweety, you can have some sugar and milk," she said.

He shook his head absently. "I like it black, thanks."

She nodded, smiling back at him.

"Well, we'll let you two talk. Let me know when you get home, Sana," I said, grabbing Ichigo's hand absently.

"Where are you two going?" she asked, placing her coffee mug to her lips, her small hands cupping the ceramic piece.

"To my room for awhile, then we're going to practice," I answered, making up our plans on the spot.

"Okay, well, leave the door open," she said, smiling at me from behind her cup.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever," I said, tugging Ichigo toward the stairs. "Don't keep her out all day, Byakuya. She's so used to lazing around, you might ware her out," I continued, smiling at her teasingly before heading up the stairs, still pulling Ichigo with me.

_-:-_

Okay, so, here's chapter ten. I feel like it's really long, so I hope that makes up for me cutting it off at such a weird place. :)

Please, let me know what you think! :D Please review!


	11. Chapter 11

Okay, so, I'm finally updating for this story! :D I feel like it's been forever and I miss this fic so much! :P

Anyway, here's chapter 11! :D Hope you enjoy!

_-:-_

After Ichigo and I entered my room I went to my bed and sat down, absently pulling my sweater off and tossing it to the floor. I glanced up at him and saw that he was standing by the doorway, leaning against the frame of the opening with his steaming cup of coffee in hand.

"Ichigo, you can sit down," I said, gesturing toward the empty space beside me.

He shrugged, taking another sip of his beverage. I decided not to push it and felt my nose wrinkle at the thought of the black coffee he was drinking. "How can you drink that stuff?" I asked him, my legs curling under me.

"It's good," he stated after the mug retreated from his lips. "It's really bitter, I like it."

"How is bitter good?" I questioned, smiling at his choice of words.

"I don't know," he responded, returning the gesture. "It just is."

I shrugged and dismissed the discussion. I pat the comforter next to me and gave him a suddenly stern look. "Sit down, you're making me nervous," I demanded. He sat without another word of protest and quickly finished his coffee, sitting the empty cup on my night table.

"Hey," he started quietly, turning back to me. "Weren't we supposed to start painting today?"

"Oh...yeah...," I said, laughing. "We can go back if you want."

He shook his head slightly. "Not really. I guess we can wait until next weekend if you don't mind," he suggested.

I nodded and gave him a concerned look. I noticed that he had dark circles under his eyes, making his fading black eye look worse than it was. For the last few days he seemed to be exhausted all the time and when he had the chance to sleep, he couldn't. Earlier that morning when I had asked him why he was awake before me he answered, "I couldn't sleep last night, I kept waking up." I had questioned him, concerned, but he reassured me it was just the fact that he was sleeping on the couch.

Turning toward him, I smiled up at his tired face. "Well, you wanna practice then?"

He nodded, smiling widely at my offer. "Alright," I stated, standing and grabbing my cello. As I headed toward the door Ichigo took my music and my bow from me carefully, following me down. As we entered the living room we ran into Hisana and Byakuya. They were slipping on their jackets when they both turned to me and Ichigo.

Byakuya absently pointed at my cello and asked, "How long have you played?"

"Since I was eight, so almost ten years," I answered, proud of my decade of dedication.

Nodding he continued. "I played the viola back in high school. It's been awhile since I've played."

"Cool, you were in orchestra?" I questioned excitedly.

Laughing, Hisana said, "Don't get her started on orchestra, she'll never shut up." She smiled at me as she teased me.

"Ha ha," I said dryly, smiling back at her before returning my attention to Byakuya. "You should bring your viola over and we could play!"

He laughed softly at my offer, shrugging. "Sure, but you realize it's been years since I've played, right?"

"So? You'll be fine, I'm sure," I continued, waving his comment away absently. "You should come over sometime and play with me and Ichigo."

"What do you play?" he asked, directing his gaze to Ichigo's slanky form.

"The piano," he answered, his tone making him sound bored. I assumed it was his lack of sleep, but wasn't completely sure.

Byakuya nodded and shrugged again. "Alright, if Hisana doesn't mind, I'll bring it over next time," he said calmly.

His comment caused a grin to tug at my lips. "'Next time'? You're already planning a second date when you haven't even gone on your first?"

His smile widened as he nodded, his response causing my sister's face to heat up noticeably. "Okay," she finally said, her hand gripping the doorknob. "We really should be going. You two can talk later." Her tone was amused but I couldn't help but notice how anxious she seemed.

I nodded and absently took a step back toward the hallway. "Have fun you two. Let me know when you get home, Sana," I said, waving before heading toward the second living room with Ichigo following me. As we entered the room I sat up my stand and grabbed my stuff from Ichigo one by one before putting them all in their place. After setting up, Ichigo took his place at the piano and played the notes I needed to tune my cello. The sound of the crisp notes Ichigo played for me were refreshing and comforting. It had been awhile since he had come over to play instead of just to hang out.

After my instrument was in tune and my bow had enough rosin on it, I got out a new piece that we had gotten int orchestra the previous week. It was a simple piece when it came to notes, but the dynamics were tricky to get right when it was new. The song was called _Casus Belli_, a Latin phrase meaning the justification of war.

After Ichigo pulled out his own copy from his thin folder we began playing, working four measures at a time. By the time we had reached the third set of four measures the door bell began ringing through the house, echoing loudly. Cocking an eyebrow I sat my cello aside and told Ichigo to hold on. He continued to play, getting distracted quickly with one of the several songs he had memorized.

As I approached the door I noticed a familiar vehicle in the drive, but I wasn't sure who's it was. After opening the door I soon realized it was the new car Renji had gotten for his birthday a few months before. I sighed and cocked my hip to the side at the sight of Renji and Mina on my doorstep. "Can I help you?" I asked, directing my anger at Renji. I had no reason to be rude to Mina, so I wasn't. Honestly, I wasn't even mad at Renji anymore. He had agreed to be nice, but I was still skeptical about how he was going to treat Ichigo in general.

Renji absently lifted the strap that I now noticed on his shoulder, realizing he was carrying his cello. "Wanna practice?" he asked. At his words Mina smiled at me and lifted her viola case.

I couldn't help but return the gesture and nodded, stepping aside and letting them in. "Sure, me and Ichigo were practicing that new piece Kaien-dono gave to us Friday. If you don't want to play that, we can find something else," I said lightly, letting them know he was here.

"Oh, Kurosaki's here?" Mina asked, trying to add a happy tint to her tone. I knew she was just as worried about Renji's behavior as I was.

"Yep."

"What's he practicing on?" she questioned absently.

"My sister's had a piano for as long as I can remember, but she's never played it. She lets him use it whenever," I answered, leading them down the hall and into the second living room. Ichigo was still playing, the melody of the song I didn't recognize drowning out my last few words. As we approached he continued, not noticing any of our presences, the music growing in volume as he seemed to slam his fingers against the keys with grace one can only get from years of practice.

As I walked up to him I placed my hand on his shoulder, causing him to jump slightly, his fingers freezing as he glanced up at me. "We've got some others to practice with," I said, giving him an apologetic look, earning a confused one back.

He turned on his stool and saw Renji and Mina standing a few feet away, both holding their instrument cases. His expression hardened slightly and he just nodded, turning back to the piano without saying a word. When I glanced back at the two behind us, I saw Renji glare slightly before starting to set up next to my seat. Mina started setting up on Renji's other side, unfolding a stand she had brought with her, setting it so it was matching her height.

"Mina, you want a chair?" I asked after noticing.

"No thanks, I need to work on my posture, this usually does it. But thank you," she answered, laying her orchestra folder on her flimsy stand and pulling her viola and bow out of her case.

I grabbed Renji a chair while he put his stand together. After both were set up and had pulled out _Casus Belli_ we began practicing in the same manor that Ichigo and I had before they arrived. As the next hour went by we all got a lot of work done regarding the song. Both Renji and Mina were much better than they usually were in class, not being distracted by socializing. Renji even had to help me with a lot of the more difficult sections. I could tell Ichigo was surprised by the difference in their skill levels when they actually tried.

After an hour of working on the song we played through the whole thing. I had trouble throughout the whole second half of the song, but Renji made up for it by playing loudly, something that came natural to him. Mina, Renji, and Ichigo seemed to find the piece easy by then and played through it with little trouble or error. I, on the other hand struggled a lot, and it was obvious. I wasn't really used to being the worst when it came to music, but it didn't bother me. I had improved a ton, that was all that mattered. Especially since we had only had it for three days.

Sighing tiredly, I sat my cello down and got everyone's attention. "Let's take a break," I said, standing and stretching. "Anyone want something to drink?"

"Sure," Mina said, sitting her viola in it's case and her bow on her stand, getting ready to come with me to the kitchen. "Want me to grab you something Renji?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks," he said, absently leaning against the shoulders of his cello.

"No problem," she answered, smiling slightly before looking back at me.

"Ichigo, come get something with us," I said, not wanting him and Renji to be alone in fear of another fight.

Shaking his head slightly, he rested his head against the level of wood above the keys, looking down at them tiredly. "No thanks," he answered, lightly tapping the gleaming spruce pieces, causing the piano to whisper a harmony he seemed to be making up. The soft tone of the instrument's words seemed to be lullying him to sleep.

"Alright," I answered, nervously leaving with Mina following. As we reached the kitchen I got a bottle of water for all three of us and handed two to Mina, turning toward the entrance, ready to get back.

"Uh, could I have something else, please?" Mina asked sheepishly. "Sorry, I just really don't feel like drinking water."

"Oh," I started, turning back hurriedly. I opened the fridge and quickly named off the several beverages we had. "Whichever you want," I said, smiling back at her, trying not to show my concern.

"Um, Sprite sounds good," she answered. Nodding, I reached the cupboard in two steps and took a glass to the counter by the fridge, getting the two liter out and pouring her a tall glass. After returning the two liter and the extra bottle of water to the fridge, I practically jogged to the second living room, Mina managing to keep pace. As we approached the entrance I heard talking and stopped her, listening to Ichigo's familiar soft voice.

"I'm sorry I hit you," he said, his tone surprisingly brave.

"Don't be. I hit you first, I was expecting it," Renji's gruff voice answered. He wasn't saying it with acceptance, he was just denying Ichigo's apology all together.

"Well, I am."

"Whatever."

"Look," Ichigo started again, anger clear in his voice. "I really couldn't care less if you hate me. But you're Rukia's friend and I don't want her to worry about it. I don't have a problem with you, but I will if you keep up this shit. And trust me, you don't want me to have a problem with you." His words surprised me and I was sure Renji was going to go crazy at his threat, but Renji's quick answer stopped me from intervening.

"What the hell are you talking about, Rukia worrying?" Renji's voice sounded angrier as well, like he was about to thrash out if Ichigo continued to talk like that.

"You couldn't tell? She didn't even want to leave us alone because she was afraid we'd fight again."

I could hear the annoyance in Renji's response and imagined him rolling his sharp eyes. "Whatever. Just stay out of my way, or I'll kick your ass."

"We'll see," Ichigo answered. I didn't give Renji the chance to respond in fear that he would attack Ichigo. I quickly stepped into the room, seeing them glare each other down and approached Ichigo, sitting next to him on the bench. I noticed that even while glaring he looked like he was about to pass out.

Mina approached Renji and handed him the bottle of water. He took it and thanked her quietly, his frustration getting her attention. Leaning against his chair she placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled closer to him. "We should go, Renji," she said calmly, her hand absently smoothing out his T-shirt.

Nodding, he took a long swig of the water and stood carefully, his hand grabbing her forearm lightly, conscious of how close she was. They both began packing up their instruments and taking their stands down. When finished Renji slung his cello case over his shoulder carelessly while Mina held the handle of her case by the handle. I took her empty glass from her and stood, leaving Ichigo at the piano as we headed toward the door.

When we reached the front door they turned and looked at me. "Thanks for letting us stay. Sorry for just dropping by," Mina said, smiling down at me.

"No problem, it was fun," I answered, returning the gesture slightly. "I'll see you guys on Monday."

They nodded and said their goodbyes before leaving. I sighed and headed back to the other living room, wondering whether I should talk to Ichigo about his conversation with Renji or not. I approached him and noticed his head was resting against the piano again.

Sighing, my concern got the better of me. I knew he needed to rest, but I was surprised to see him this tired. I began to shake him gently. "Ichigo, get up, I'll take you to bed," I said, but he didn't respond. My worry grew and turned into panic quickly. I shook him in a rougher manner, but he still didn't wake. Instead his still form fell over, causing him to descend from the piano bench all together. His head his the floor with a thunk, his arms sprawled out in front of him. I screamed, horrified at what was happening. I felt horrible for not being able to catch him, but the fact that he still didn't wake caused tears to flood my eyes. I cried loudly and continued to scream.

After a few dragging moments, I forced myself to run to the phone and call 911 for the second time that weekend. I explained the situation as fast as I could, my voice thick with tears. After they had my address and name I ran back to Ichigo and sat next to him, brushing hair out of his blank face as more tears ran down my face. I was too shocked to even check if he was breathing or if he had a pulse.

I sat on the floor, sobbing, until the paramedics came, praying that he'd be okay and trying to figure out what could possibley be wrong with him. _Why didn't I realize he was sick sooner! This is all my fault!_

_-:-_

Okay, so, I finally found a way to leave you with a cliffhanger! :D I'm so bad at those, so I hope this one's okay! :P

Hope you enjoyed, please review and let me know what you think!

Sorry if this chapter's kind of short! :/


	12. Chapter 12

Okay, I'm sorry I've taken so long to update for this. I've bee pretty busy lately, so I haven't had time to write. And in the last few days I've been working on _Close To Home_, so yeah. Now I can work on this! :D

Anyway, hope you enjoy chapter 12! :P

_-:-_

The ride to the hospital was terrifying. Ichigo never woke or stirred the whole ride in the ambulance, but the paramedics assured me he was just unconscious. By the time we got to the hospital one of the nurses told me to stay in the waiting room. I tried to object but she told me firmly I wasn't allowed to go with them. I agreed and she showed me where a phone was, suggesting I call his parents or anyone that might want to be there.

"Thank you for all your help," I said to her quietly, getting a warm smile back.

"Of course, Sweety. Don't worry, you're boyfriend's in good hands," she said before heading back to the main desk.

Heading toward the payphone I realized I had left my bag at home, which meant I had no change to insert into the phone or my cell phone. Sighing, I headed back to the main desk and told the same nurse my situation. She gladly allowed me to use her own cell phone as long as I stayed near the desk.

After dialing Ichigo's home phone number I held the device to my ear and waited while the ringing echoed in my ear. Finally Isshin picked up, his voice peppy. "Hello, Kurosaki residence, how many I help you?"

I bit my lip before answering. "Isshin?"

"Rukia, is that you?" he asked, not realizing my pitiful tone.

"Yeah, listen-" I began before he cut me off.

"Hey, what's up? How are you?" he continued, his good mood spilling into his voice.

"Isshin, I was calling about Ichigo-" Again, I was interrupted.

"Oh, what did my boy do this time?"

"Isshin, he's sick!" I exclaimed, tears forming in my eyes. This got him to shut up.

After a few moments of his silence, his voice returned, weak. "What's wrong? Is he throwing up or something?" Somehow, he knew it wasn't something so mild.

"No. I'm at the hospital, I need you to come down here and fill out some of these forms. He just...," I started, pressing a sweaty palm to my forehead, trying to stable myself. This only made me realize how dizzy I felt, causing me to lean against the main desk, my vision blurring with fresh tears. "He passed out or something at my house. He hit his head, I don't know what's going on!" As I finished my statement my voice grew louder and the fact that I was crying became clear in my tone.

"Sh, Rukia, calm down. We'll be there in a few minutes, okay? Just stay calm, he'll be okay," he said, his voice cracking slightly at the end of his sentence.

I nodded absently and said, "Okay." He hung up and I called Hisana's cell, knowing I was interrupting her date. I felt horrible for it, but I really needed her. Plus I was sure she'd be just as concerned about Ichigo.

"Hello, Hisana Kuchiki," she said, her voice peppy as well.

"Sana, it's Rukia," I stated quietly, willing myself some control over my emotions.

"Hey, Sweety. This isn't the best time, could you call ba-"

"No! Please, just listen," I exclaimed, my tone desperate.

"Ruk...what's the matter? Is everything okay?" she asked, her voice remotely lower.

"No, it's Ichigo. He's hurt, he passed out and hit his head. I don't know what's going on, but can you please come to the ER?" I begged, guilt sinking in.

"O-of course, I'll be right there. Sorry I almost hung up, I'm hurrying. Bye, see you in a few," she said hastily, the line dying as she ended the conversation. After hanging up I handed the phone back to the nurse and thanked her again. Then I sat on one of the hard, plastic chairs in the waiting room, my worry getting the best of me.

I waited and in the next ten minutes Isshin and his daughters hurried in and approached me. Ichigo's father knelt in front of me and laid his hands on my shoulders. "Rukia, we're here," he said, causing me to look up at him. His expression was full of concern, which seemed to be directed to me. Without much thought I hugged onto him, wrapping my arms around his neck, and laid my head on his shoulder. I began to shake, my body racked with sobs. He seemed hesitant but returned the gesture, speaking more comforting words.

Small hands found their way to my back, Ichigo's little sisters comforting me as well. I felt pretty awful, having his family calm _me_ down when it was their brother and son in there.

As Isshin continued alleviate my worries my sister approached us, Byakuya at her side. Isshin carefully pulled away from me and stood, giving Hisana room to take his place. "I've got to fill those papers out, okay Rukia?" he asked, getting a nod before he headed toward the main desk.

"Sh, Sweety, Ichigo will be alright," Hisana said, hugging onto me and pushing some hair out of my face. I had calmed considerably and just nodded, wiping the tears from my eyes. As I began to calm down, everyone took a seat near each other, waiting for someone to tell us what was going on.

_-:-_

It took almost a half an hour before the tall man in the doctor's coat entered the waiting room and asked, "Is Mr. Kurosaki here?"

Isshin stood and walked up to him quickly. The doctor noticed all of us waiting for the news, so he projected his voice for all of us to hear. "Hello, I'm Dr. Kobayashi, you can call me Hatori. Ichigo will be alright," he began, causing me to let out the breath I had been unknowingly holding in. "We've taken some blood and ran some tests and it's nothing too serious. It seems he's suffering from malnutrition. He seems to be low in several nutrients, not just a few. We're lucky we caught it in the first stage, it's much easier to treat this way." As he finished explaining I stood and looked up at him.

"So, he's sick because he hasn't been eating enough?" I asked, realizing I could have stopped this if I had paid more attention.

"Well, not necessarily. He may just not be eating things that have enough nutrients in them. Did you notice him not eating?" he questioned. Before I could answer Isshin cut in.

"Yes. He never really ate that much, so I didn't notice, but I didn't know why. I asked him, but he always told me he wasn't hungry," he said, guilt flooding his tone.

"That might have been. He may have stopped eating so much for a specific reason, but after someone enters the first stage of malnutrition they begin to have a lack of appetite. Other side effects are dizziness, trouble sleeping or exhaustion, irritability, and trouble with the immune system. Has he had trouble with those?" the doctor asked, focusing on Isshin again.

"Yeah, he's been tired all the time and he's gotten dizzy really suddenly, having to sit down. He's also been snapping at people, it's not like him. I should have realized-"

"This isn't you're fault, Mr. Kurosaki," Hatori stated "You couldn't have known-" Isshin cut him off as well.

"I'm a doctor, I should have known something was wrong with him," he stated, anger clear in his voice. He was obviously angry with himself.

"It's nothing to dwell on, Kurosaki. He got here at a really good time, we'll be able to treat him and he should be feeling better in the near future. He's resting right now, but when he wakes up, try to get him to talk to you about his reason for not eating in the beginning."

"Alright, thanks," Isshin said, dismissing Dr. Kobayashi. He turned back to us and sighed, obviously relieved his son was being taken care of.

I turned to Hisana and frowned, getting a confused and concerned back. "What Rukia?" she asked, placing a hand on mine.

"I'm sorry I ruined your date," I said, glancing at Byakuya before turning back to my sister.

"No, Sweety, don't worry about it. I'm glad you called," she said, lightly squeezing my hand. She turned her attention to Byakuya then and smiled up at him sheepishly. "You can go ahead and head home, we'll probably be here for awhile. Thanks again for the drive here."

He shook his head slightly. "No, I'll wait. I should at least make sure you have a way home."

"Thank you, but we'll be here for awhile, I don't want you to have to wait. Really, just-" she started before he interrupted her, a smile on his face.

"I want to stay. I'm not busy, I had a whole day planned for us, so I don't have to be anywhere. So it's not a problem," he said, obviously wanting to stay with my sister when she was just as worried as everyone else.

Hisana opened her mouth, about to object again before I stopped her. "Yeah, it'll be better if he stays. That way we don't have to rely on Isshin for a ride home," I said, noticing Byakuya smiling down at me, thanking me with his expression.

"Rukia, he-" She cut herself off when she noticed my stern expression. She finally understood and smiled shyly. "Thank you, Byakuya," she said, looking down at her hands.

"You're welcome," he answered, grabbing one of her hands. Hisana blushed lightly and slid her fingers between his.

The sight of my sister and Byakuya brought a smile to my face, even during a situation like this. It was impossible to ignore the fact that Byakuya thought the world of Hisana. When I saw him look at her the way he did, it was like he was already in love with her. Although I would have been thrilled for that to be true, I didn't allow myself to believe it. They hadn't been on a full official date, they'd only seen each other twice. Still, something about the looks he gave her, you'd think she was the sun!

We spent the rest of the day at the hospital, waiting for Ichigo to wake up; the nurses didn't want to disturb him. When he did wake I anxiously waited for his family to see him, I didn't want to interrupt when his father and sisters talked to him. After forty-five nerve-wrecking minutes, the Kurosaki's came out of Ichigo's room and told me and Hisana that we could go see him. Hisana stayed put, a hand still intertwined in Byakuya's, her small frame leaning against her stocky companion.

"You go ahead, Rukia. We'll wait until you're done," she said, smiling up at me. I was thankful for that; it would be harder to keep the worried tears away if my sister or Byakuya came with me.

Nodding, I returned the gesture, and headed toward the room Ichigo resided in. As I approached the open door I felt tears sting my eyes and quickly blinked them away. I quietly made my way into the entrance, leaning against the door frame, stunned by the sight of him. He was laying in one of the hospital beds, now clad in a hospital gown, looking thinner than ever. I wasn't sure if it was because I had learned he was dealing with malnutrition or because he was really smaller, but it scared me. There were tubes on a table next to his bed, I assumed used for pumping some nutrients into his body while he rested and regained his appetite.

As I stood in the doorway he laid on the bed, not noticing my presence. His head was tilted back and his eyes were closed, but it was obvious he wasn't sleeping; his usual scowl was present on his face. He looked like he was angry, really angry, which confused me. Clearing my throat, I got his attention. His glared quickly faded and was replaced by surprise and guilt.

"Rukia, hey," he said quietly.

Hearing his voice relieved some of my anxiety and I was able to allow a small smile to grace my lips. Still, I had to blink away fresh tears. "Hey, Ichigo. How are you? Feeling better?"

A sudden change of emotion flashed across his expression for a second, his face giving away how guilty he felt. Pain had crossed his features as well, as if my words had hurt him. He slowly nodded before his simple frown returned to his face. "Yeah, thank you..."

I crossed the room and stood next to his bed, grabbing his hand gingerly. "Good,...I'm glad," I said, unable to hold back my feelings. I practically broke down, leaning closer to him and hugging onto his neck like I had his fathers over an hour before. Tears pooled in my eyes and slid down my cheeks as I hid my face in his shoulder, clutching onto the hospital gown tightly.

He hugged me back and kept apologizing, his words frantic and thick with sorrow. I told him it wasn't his fault and quickly regained my composure, straightening up, still holding his hand tightly.

"I'm really sorry, Rukia. I didn't mean to do this," he said.

"I know, Ichigo. It's really not your fault you go sick," I said, pushing some spikes off of his brow.

"It is my fault. I'm the one who didn't eat enough," he answered, looking down, ashamed.

"You didn't try to get sick. You were taking care of your family. You just need to relax and let everyone help you get better, okay?" I asked, leaning closer to him absently.

"I knew it was effecting me, I just didn't think anything of it. I kept getting dizzy, but I never said anything. It's my fault," he continued, not listening to my question.

"Ichigo, calm down. It's not. Just...let us take care of you, alright?" I questioned, grabbing his face in my hand carefully and making him look up at me.

He slowly nodded as his frown remained on his face, his eyes averting my gaze. After letting go of his face I sat next to him, grabbing his hand again. His head fell on my shoulder, his eyes sliding closed as he relaxed. We sat in silence as I ran my fingers through his hair and in minutes he was asleep.

_-:-_

The next week I spent almost every minute with Ichigo. Hisana allowed me to miss school, knowing I wouldn't be able to concentrate while everyone was trying to nurture Ichigo back to heath. I stayed with him at the hospital the three days he had to stay there. By then he had been eating pretty normally, but most of the time we had to force him. He always said he wasn't hungry, and the doctor assured us he wouldn't be for the next few weeks. The trouble with having to make him eat and him not having his appetite was that we could never tell if he had enough or too much. He said he felt full after two bites. Several times we ended up making him eat so much he threw it right up. Then we had to make him eat more, otherwise it would all be for nothing.

After he got home I started staying at Ichigo's house, sleeping in a sleeping bag on his floor in case he needed anything. He was supposed to be in bed the whole time, until it had been a week since he left the hospital. Ichigo whined so much about wanting to at least stand, that by Thursday I allowed it. He did what I told him and only walked around his room, not wandering away from me.

In the few days he had been sick I noticed my worry for him had turned into panic. Every time he acted like something was wrong I would spazz out and frantically ask him to tell me what it was. If he said nothing, then I'd keep asking until he said something, anything to appease me. He surprisingly enough didn't get mad or frustrated with me once, and every time I apologized for acting like that he just shook his head and said it was fine.

During the days we were at his home his sisters went to school. It had been a great few weeks for Yuzu, so she was able to go back to school as apposed to sitting in bed and trying to figure out her homework by herself. Isshin went out looking for a job, which he did just about everyday. That's what he called worked, looking for work, and it was. He walked around town for hours to save gas, leaving around seven in the morning and returning in time for dinner at five thirty. He had been doing this since they had moved to Karakura Town and hadn't had any interviews at all, but he still didn't give up.

Friday afternoon, before the girls got home from school, I sat in Ichigo's room, carefully placed in between him and the wall on his bed. My cell phone shook in my pocket while it started playing a melody from one of Yo-Yo Ma's songs, noting me that it was time to get Ichigo something to eat. I heard him groan quietly as I stood and turned the alarm off. Turning to him, I noticed and smiled weakly. "What do you want?" I questioned.

"Nothing, thanks," he responded, a slight glare on his face as he stared down at his comforter.

"Ichigo," I said sternly, getting a nod from him as he forced his glare away.

"I don't care, anything's fine," he answered, still not looking up at me.

Nodding, I headed to the kitchen and quickly prepared a grilled cheese sandwich and warmed up a bowl of Chunky soup. I knew because his father would consider this a light lunch Ichigo would have to eat extra for dinner, but I didn't feel like struggling with him. Besides, Isshin knew more about a growing boy's appetite than _I_ did.

After finishing his late lunch I returned to his room and handed him the plate and bowl. I took a seat next to him, knowing I'd have to monitor his meal in case he tried to hide his unwanted food under his bed again.

He ate deliberately, taking his time, hoping I'd get distracted and leave the room, I'm sure. But I didn't, I sat and watched him eat it all, making sure he didn't forget to eat his crust. After taking his empty plate and bowl to the sink and rinsing them off I returned to his room with a glass of water and let him take his time drinking it.

After he finished the water I sat the glass on the floor away from the bed and took my place next him no the edge of the bed. He scooted down so he was laying down and rested his head on my shoulder, his face laying along my collar bone. His arms hugged onto my waist pulled me closer, seeming to have trouble. I still wasn't used to Ichigo's random moments of bravery, but of course I allowed it. When I looked down at him I saw that his eyes had closed and his breathing had become louder; he was obviously about to fall asleep. In the next few minutes it became clear that he was out, his grip on my waist loosening as I scooted closer to him. I placed a hand on his brow and pushed some bright hair back out of his face, noticing the small beads of sweat that had built up on his forehead.

Carefully I pushed the blankets off of him and rolled up the only sleeve of his long sleeved shirt that I could reach, trying to make him more comfortable. As I laid in Ichigo's bed and messed with his hair, I realized how strong my feelings for him had gotten. I was completely dedicated to this boy, someone I had only known for a short amount of time.

I pushed the thoughts aside and allowed myself to relax in Ichigo's grip, resting my head against his carefully and closing my eyes. _You better get healthy soon, Ichigo. I can't stand worrying about you much longer..._

_-:-_

Okay, so, FINALLY! :D I feel SO much better! :3 Finally I have finished chapter 12! I'm sorry it took oh so long, I really struggled with this chapter. So, if my computer will act normal and let me update, then I'll update right away! Enjoy!

Again, sorry it took so much time! I should update chapter 13 much, MUCH sooner! I promise!

Please review!


	13. Chapter 13

Okay, so I'm back with chapter 13! :D Pretty fast compared to last time, right? :3 Right!

Alright, so, here we go!

Oh, yes! Before I forget again! I want to thank _glon morski_ for the whole idea of making Ichigo sick! It really added to the plot, so thank you so much! And for all of your other suggestions, I really, _really_ appreciate it! If you have anymore, I'll take 'em! ;3 Thanks again, _morski_!

_-:-_

About a week and half after he got sick, Ichigo was ready to return to school. His case really was pretty mild, but that didn't cause me to worry any less. I had stayed the night at his house the night before we went back to school, just in case he decided he didn't feel like he could go.

In the morning I woke a half an hour early, having a hard time sleeping the whole night. I decided that I might as well get up and eat something. I stood and grabbed my bag, heading to the bathroom to get dressed. After getting into a pair of jeans and a dark purple T-shirt and replacing my bag in Ichigo's room, I headed for the kitchen. To my surprise Isshin was at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee next to him. He looked exhausted and didn't seem to notice me enter the small room.

"Good morning, Isshin," I said, causing him to turn around quickly and look up at me.

"Oh, morning, Rukia," he answered and turned back to some papers that were sitting in front of him. _Bills,_ I guessed.

"What are you doing?" I asked, trying to be polite and not sound nosy.

"Just...trying to figure out what bills I can pay this month..."

I felt a frown cross my features. I knew Ichigo's medical bills were taking their toll on Isshin. He had to try to pay off his debt caused by his wife's treatment, take care of Yuzu's medical expenses, and now Ichigo's hospital fees.

"Isshin...let me-" I began before he cut me off.

"_No_, Rukia," he answered sternly, anger clear in his tone. "I can't come running to your sister every time I have problems."

"This isn't just a 'problem', Isshin. Besides, I wasn't going to suggest you get the money from my sister. We've gotten a few calls from people who would like to donate some money-"

"It's the same thing! Charity!" he yelled back.

"Well, that's what you need!" I shouted, getting his attention. "I know...it's hard to just take money from people-" He interrupted me again.

"You don't know. You have no idea what it's like, Rukia."

That got me. He was right, I really _didn't_ know how it felt to have money handed to me because someone felt bad for me. But I couldn't let him suffer like this, because he wasn't the only one suffering.

"You're right," I said quietly, nodding. "I'm sorry, I don't know how it feels. But I can't just stay in your home and watch you struggle like this. You don't have a job, you barely have any income, the only reason Ichigo got sick is because you guys can't afford enough food," I began, surprisingly tearing up. "I see how taking money effects you, it's obviously not a good feeling. But you're kids are suffering. And they'll suffer even more if you don't step up and just accept that you need help. Please, Isshin."

He stared at me, his angry expression falling. Sighing, he turned away from me and rested his head in his hands. "I know..."

I took my place next him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Can I call those people back?" I asked quietly.

He nodded and mumbled a 'thanks'.

"No problem," I said, absently realizing that his coffee was cold and that there were deep circles under his eyes.. "Isshin, when did you wake up?"

"I haven't slept," he answered absently, going back to his bills.

"Go to sleep!" I demanded, scoldingly.

A small smile crept onto his face while he shook his head. "I'm fine."

"No, go to bed," I said, taking the papers that had been lying in front of him.

He looked up at me expectantly, obviously wanting the papers back. I returned the stern gaze and finally he sighed and stood. "Good night," I said, smiling at him.

"Yeah yeah," he answered, going to the living room and laying down on the couch. I had learned since staying at the Kurosaki home that Isshin didn't have a room or a bed. Because their new house only had two bedrooms, Isshin got rid of his mattress and took the couch. Apparently Ichigo had offered to share his room, but his father had made the good point that his old bed wouldn't fit in his small room.

After shutting off the lights I prepared breakfast for everyone, the morning rays giving me enough light to make do. I fixed french toast with much effort, I wasn't much for cooking. At six I went into Yuzu and Karin's room to make sure they had woken up to their alarm clock. They had and greeted me with sleepy smiles.

"Good morning, you two," I said.

"Morning, Rukia!" Yuzu returned, her smile widening.

"G'morning," Karin said, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"I made some breakfast, although I can't promise it's edible," I teased. "It's in the kitchen when you're ready." They nodded and I quickly left the room, heading toward Ichigo's. His alarm clock was going off loudly, but he didn't stir.

Panic filled me and I crossed the room in three steps, slamming my hand on the snooze button before sitting next to him and shaking his still frame frantically. He shifted and groaned, sitting up and slowly opening his eyes. Looking down at me sleepily, he gave me a confused glance. "What?" he asked quietly.

Shaking, I sighed, relieved. "Nothing, sorry. Get up, alright? Unless you don't feel good, you can always stay home if you need to. I know your dad won't-" I began rambling before he cut me off, an amused expression on his face.

"I'm fine, thanks."

I bit my lip nervously before nodding. "Okay. Well, I made breakfast, hurry and get dressed so you can eat."

"_You_ made breakfast?" he asked, his smile widening.

"Yes, I made french toast," I answered, smiling also. "Don't act so surprised, it's not that hard."

He only nodded, still looking amused. I stood and left, giving him time to change while getting plates and cups out and setting the table. I was pretty surprised at how I was acting, making breakfast, setting the table, just taking care of this family as much as I could. It's not like I thought I was a horrible person who did care about other people, but I had never considered myself the type to take charge like this. I pushed the thoughts away and told myself that I was only doing this because they needed some help and I cared about them.

As I finished setting the table Ichigo stepped into the kitchen, clad in a pair of ripped jeans and an old T-shirt. As I noticed what he was wearing, I remembered what Hisana had told me to do.

"Oh, Ichigo, I forgot," I said, going back to his room to fetch my bag. When I returned to the kitchen I saw him give me a confused look. "Hisana got you a get-well present."

"Rukia, I-" he started to deny the gift, but I cut him off.

"Don't talk to me, she insisted. Just take it, alright. She got something for the girls too, she didn't want to leave them out," I answered, grabbing the three separate bags and handing Ichigo his. "Hisana had insisted on putting everything in gift bags, so I had to smash them a bit to fit them in my school bag. Sorry," I said, shrugging slightly.

He shook his head absently and sat the bag on the table. "Tell her I said thanks."

"No, open it now," I said, grabbing his gift bag and shoving it toward him.

Sighing slightly, he opened the bag and looked at the items residing in it. He returned his gaze to me and said, "Rukia..."

I rolled my eyes and took the package back, pulling out the clothes and handing them to him. "Don't give me that look. It's not too much. Besides, you all need some new clothes, just about everything you have has holes in it. I just hope we got you the right size."

"Thanks," he said, obviously still not wanting to take them.

"You're welcome. Now, go change," I said, smiling up at him.

"Rukia, I already got dressed-"

"What, don't you like them?" I questioned, pretending to be hurt.

"No, that's not what I-"

"So you're just telling me no? After everything I've done for you?" A smile returned to my face, letting him know I was just teasing him, but that didn't seem to make it effect him any less.

"Fine," he said, starting to go back to his room before I grabbed his arm and stopped him.

I started going through the clothes he held in his hands and picked out one of the pairs of jeans and a dark blue sweater. "Wear this," I insisted, earning another sigh.

"Fine," he repeated and I finally let him go. Heading toward his room, I saw him slightly shake his head, causing me to laugh quietly.

I continued to clean up the kitchen, having nothing else to do. As I started wiping down the counters I heard Yuzu and Karin enter the kitchen, Karin helping her ill sister carefully. I turned and smiled at them as they sat at the table. "Before you two eat, I have something for you," I said, digging through my backpack and finding the two gift bags easily. I handed each to the twin they were assigned to and they cocked their eyebrows.

"What's this for?" Yuzu asked as neither of the girls opened their packages.

"Well, my sister got Ichigo a get-well gift, and she didn't want to leave you guys out. So we got you something too. It's no big deal," I said. "Come one, aren't you going to open it?"

Nodding, each girl opened her bag and then smiled up at me.

"Tell her we said thank you," Yuzu stated, her smile turning warm

Karin nodded in agreement.

"Will do. Why don't you guys go try some of it on. You should wear some of it today," I said, getting nods as they headed toward their room. Standing alone in the kitchen I admitted that I was helping them out because how much I loved them. I had never had my own family, not a whole one, so being a part of one like this was almost overwhelming. But I was happy I could do something for them, even something so little.

_-:-_

School went by slowly as I found myself watching Ichigo, making sure he wasn't over-doing it. He seemed fine, but I couldn't stop worrying about how he was feeling. Tons of people asked him how he was and he always patiently answered that he was fine, but I still didn't believe him.

One thing I really wasn't looking forward to was talking to Renji. After hearing his conversation with Ichigo, I felt my anger toward him return. He had acted like such a dick, and for no reason. Not to mention that he didn't seem to care that I missed over a week of school. I had been absent for eight days, yet he didn't feel the need to call me at all. But I was lucky, he hadn't showed up.

By the end of the day I was relieved to be getting back to Ichigo's home, but I soon remembered that I had to make up a math test. After Orchestra was over I told Ichigo that I had to take a test and I would be awhile. He said he didn't mind waiting and said he'd stay in the orchestra room.

My test took almost a full hour and by the time I was done I found myself feeling guilty about making Ichigo wait. I hurried to the music department and expected to hear the piano ringing loudly, but it wasn't. I peeked my head into the orchestra room and found no one. The room was empty and quiet.

"Ichigo?" I asked, in case he was in the instrument room, but he didn't answer. I left the room and started up the short staircase leading to the band rooms. As I continued to search I heard a faint noise and soon recognized that someone was playing the drums in the percussion room. I headed in that direction, planning on asking the band member if they had seen Ichigo.

As I opened the door I spotted the person on the drums, surprised to see Ichigo at the instrument. His back was turned to me and he didn't seem to notice my presence. He played loudly, his hands moving quickly while his right foot hit the peddle of the bass drum along with the beat. I approached him quietly watched, still not getting his attention. He continued until whatever he was playing was finished. Sitting still, he placed the drum sticks on the floor next to the seat he was in, standing and turning toward me, startled when he saw me.

"Rukia," he said, surprise clear in his expression, causing me to laugh quietly.

"Sorry, sorry. I didn't want to disturb you," I answered, shrugging slightly.

"It's fine," he stated as he calmed.

"So, why didn't you tell me you played the drums?"

He shrugged slightly. "You never asked," he answered.

Rolling my eyes slightly, I felt my smile widen. "That's a lame reason."

"Oh well," Ichigo answered, returning the gesture slightly.

"How long have you been playing?" I asked, absently crossing my arms in front of myself.

"Three years, I think," he answered.

"Who taught you?"

"No one, I just sort of figured it out," he said, shrugging it off. "Are you ready to go?" he asked, taking a step closer to the door.

"Yep." I headed toward the exit also, grabbing onto his hand as we continued down the hall. "Do you want me to call Hisana? I'm sure she can give us a ride to your house."

"Uh, can we go to _your_ house?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure. Why?"

Shrugging, his gaze stayed in front of us. "I'm just sick of being home all the time, I'm not ready to go home."

I gave him a skeptical look before nodding. "Alright, here," I continued, handing him my cell phone. "Make sure it's okay with your dad."

He nodded also and took the phone, hitting one and call as his house was the first on my speed dial. We walked toward our lockers in silence as the phone rang. Finally someone answered. "Hey, Dad. Is it alright if I go to Rukia's?" Ichigo questioned, stopping and leaning against the locker next to mine. "I know, I will...Don't worry, Hisana's picking us up...Okay. Love you too, bye Dad," he said, flipping my phone shut before handing it back to me.

"I'll call my sister," I said absently, hitting two and the call button before shutting my locker and heading toward the school's entrance, Ichigo at my side. "Hye, Sana, can you come pick me and Ichigo up?" I asked, slipping my free hand into Ichigo's. "Okay, we'll be waiting, thanks." Hanging up, I replaced my phone in my pocket and sat at the bench by the main entrance. Ichigo took his place next to me and stared ahead of us.

Turning toward him, I tugged on his hand, getting his attention. He returned my gaze, looking at me questioningly. I smiled and shrugged, causing a small smile to grace his lips. The sight of him at school, feeling so much better melted my worries, relief flooding me.

Scooting closer to him, I laid my head on his shoulder. "You look nice today," I said absently. "Not that you don't always look nice."

I felt his quiet laugh rumble slightly through his chest. "Thanks," he answered, resting an arm around my shoulders.

As we waited for my sister in silence, I felt my feelings for Ichigo bubble up in my throat. "I love you, Ichigo," I said, unable to stop it. He seemed to shift in his seat at my words, worrying me.

"I...I love you, too...," he answered quietly, surprising me. His words caused me to smile widely as I sat up and pressed my lips to his. As I pulled away I noticed him smile also and heard my phone ring in my pocket. As I pulled it out and answered it, I pulled away from Ichigo slightly. "Hello?"

"Sorry to disturb you," my sister's voice sounded, a smirk in her tone. "But, I'm waiting."

"Shut up," I answered, shutting my phone and standing. "Let's go," I said, waiting for Ichigo. After he stood and grabbed my hand, we headed for the door.

_-:-_

Okay, so this was like a filler chapter, so sorry. But it was neccesary. Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Please review!


	14. Chapter 14

Hello, I am back! :3 Ha ha, I know...I promised I would have this chapter up awhile ago, but...stuff got in the way. :) Soooooo, sorry. :D

Anyway, here's chapter 14! :P

_-:-_

As we piled into the car I noticed Ichigo shift in his seat, oddly nervous. I figured it was just because Hisana had caught us kissing, but I was honestly denying that it was because of what I had told him. Even if he had said he loved me too, I was pretty scared that he was just trying not to hurt my feelings.

"How was your first day back you two?" Hisana asked, glancing at me in the rear view mirror before returning her eyes to the road.

I forced my worries away and answered, "Alright. Waking up early was a pain, but it was okay." My voice was surprisingly level.

She nodded before glancing over at Ichigo. He noticed and turned his head toward her, but his gaze resided on the view ahead of us. "It was fine, thanks."

"Good, I'm glad," she stated, her smile growing. "It's really good to see you guys, it's been about five days since I've seen either of you."

"Yeah, it's been awhile," I said, looking up at her. "What have you been doing today?"

"Oh, I had lunch with Byakuya and then he came over to the house. He's there now," she stated lightly, trying to get off the subject of her new relationship. But I wouldn't let it go so easily; it was obvious that they were really serious about each other.

"Goodness, Sana," I said, smiling at her brightly. "Have you two spent every day together since you started going out?" I asked, knowing the answer.

She just shrugged and answered, "Not _every_ day."

"I think he loves you, Hisana. Or he's just obsessed."

"Shut up," she answered, her face tinting pink. "Anyway, he said he had something he wanted to talk to me about, so when we get home could you please just go upstairs for awhile?"

"Sure, no problem," I said, already planning on eavesdropping. I know it's rude, but I was a little worried by that. It sounded like he wanted to break up with her and I wanted to hear his reasons for it.

Hisana glanced over at Ichigo, seeming to notice what he was wearing for the first time. She smiled happily. "You like the clothes?" she asked.

Nodding, he smiled also. "Thank you, Hisana, you didn't have to-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But I wanted to. You look so adorable!" she exclaimed, reaching a hand over and patting his arm lightly.

He turned to look out the window, muttering a thanks. One thing still hadn't changed about Ichigo, he still couldn't take a compliment.

The rest of the ride was quiet, the low hum of the radio the only noise. As we pulled into the driveway I grabbed my bag and stepped out of the car. Ichigo and Hisana got out also and we all walked into the house. Byakuya was pacing around the kitchen, his hands in his pockets. He stopped when he saw us enter the living room. Hisana grinned at him warmly, her feelings for him written all over her face. He returned the gesture before looking at me and Ichigo. "Hello Rukia, Ichigo. Are you feeling better?" he asked, locking his gaze onto Ichigo's.

"Yes, thank you," Ichigo answered.

Hisana glanced at me before coughing, letting us know it was time to dismiss ourselves.

"Well," I started, giving Byakuya a cold, skeptical look. "We better get upstairs and get our homework done. We have a lot to do," I said, grabbing Ichigo's hand. I started up the stairs slowly, watching over my shoulder until Hisana went back into the kitchen. I stopped and started tip-toeing back down the stairs, getting a confused look from Ichigo.

"Ru-" he started before I cut him off.

"Shh!" I held a finger to my pursed lips to emphasis how quiet he needed to be. We continued down the steps until we were leaning against the wall next to the opening that led to the kitchen. I peeked my head around to see them standing in front of each other, both smiling widely.

"Rukia, why are we doing this?" Ichigo whispered, guilt and worry thick in his voice.

"I'm just being a good sister, trust me," I said, not taking my eyes off of them.

"What did you need to talk about, Byakuya?" Hisana asked, her smile widening as she slipped her hands in his.

His smile seemed to falter as he avoided her gaze, causing me to glare angrily. _I can't believe he's doing this!_

"Well," he started after taking a shaky breathe. "These last few weeks have been...so great. I haven't had such a close relationship with someone since Kasumi," he said, mentioning his ex-fiancée. Hisana had told me the story about how she had backed out of their engagement a few weeks from the wedding with no explanation. The fact that he was mentioning her now made me even more anxious, but I held my tongue.

Nodding, Hisana listened while he continued. "It's only been like...two weeks and I keep thinking that...this is going _way_ too fast." As the words left his mouth I saw Hisana's expression fall, a deep frown crossing her features as she pulled her hands away.

My anger built up inside of me and I was ready to storm into the kitchen. Ichigo seemed to noticed my planned actions because he grabbed my arm and held me still carefully. I nodded and continued watching them, forcing myself to just let them talk.

As I looked back at Byakuya he seemed to realize that my sister already knew what he was about to say. "No, what I mean is...it's too fast to make sense. I've been trying to figure out why you mean so much to me when I haven't even known you for a full month." He paused again, looking down for a moment before looking back at Hisana's confused face, his hand slipping into his pocket. He pulled his hand back out, something in his hand, but I couldn't tell what it was.

With his free hand Byakuya grabbed her left one and took another steadying breathe. After a moment of silence he knelt down on one knee, holding a small, open box out to her. My eyes widened, completely shocked at what was happening.

My sister's eyes were also wide and glued to the ring being offered to her. Still, she stayed quiet as Byakuya continued. "I love you, Hisana. And I know this is really fast, but I've never been more sure of anything before. Will you marry me?" As he asked, his brow creased, obviously panicking about her reaction.

"I...," she started, her voice drifting off as she stared at him, her large eyes seeming to become more wide. I waited for her to show any sign of a decision, itching to interfere. Finally, a small smile made it's way to her face as tears formed in her eyes, a perfect opportunity to jump in.

Stepping into the opening, I exclaimed, "Say yes!"

Hisana's head snapped toward me while Byakuya only shook his head, smiling. I expected her to scold me, but she only turned back to him and grinned.

"Yes," she said excitedly, hugging onto his neck tightly. His brows rose in surprise before he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. I ran into the room and hugged them both tightly, earning chuckles from both my sister and her _fiancé_.

"I'm so happy for you two!" I exclaimed, pulling away so Byakuya could slip the ring onto her shaking hand. Tears ran down Hisana's face and she quickly brushed them away with her free hand. I didn't want to intrude on their big moment, so I backed up, a wide grin on my face. "I'll leave you guys alone," I said before side-stepping over to Ichigo again, who hadn't moved. "Let's go upstairs," I said, smiling up at him. Smiling back at me, he nodded and grabbed my hand. As we started up the stairs I heard my sister say "I love you so much, Byakuya," her voice shaky as she continued to cry.

My smile widened as Ichigo and I continued up the stairs, heading toward my room.

_-:-_

Ichigo and I stayed in my room until we heard any sign that we were welcome downstairs. We talked and did homework for about an hour before Hisana came in and told us that Byakuya was called back to work. Her joy was all over her face and although I was a little upset about having to share my sister, I was way more happy for her.

That night Byakuya came back around eight saying he had made reservations for him and Hisana at some fancy restaurant in half an hour. She rushed to get ready, but the end results didn't show her hurry. She had curled her long hair in spirals, causing it to lose a lot of its length. It now ended at her shoulders and the stubborn strand stuck between her eyes in such a familiar fashion was also curled, still resting along the center of her face. She was clad in a black formal dress ending right above the knee. It was strapless and form-fitting, plan but very flattering.

At eight-twenty they left, both looking as ecstatic as ever. Hisana had left us a casserole to heat up for a late dinner, so as they left I led Ichigo into the kitchen.

After pulling the glass dish out of the fridge and sitting it on the counter I approached the oven and set it the appropriate temperature. When I was sure it was preheating I turned, about to take a step forward but was stopped. Ichigo was standing directly in front of me, startling me. I laughed and smiled up at him, realizing the warm smile on his face.

He grabbed my arms lightly, his long fingers curling completely around my thin limbs. He leaned in closer to my up-lifted face, pressing his lips against mine. He pulled away for a moment while I laid my hands against his chest. Without warning he kissed me again, pulling me closer. Standing on my tip-toes, I deepened the kiss, but Ichigo soon pulled away. He smiled down at me before kissing my forehead and hugging onto my waist tightly. As I wrapped my arms around his waist I realized how thankful I was for Ichigo's self control. I had found myself forgetting all logic when kissing him.

Resting my head against his chest, I asked, "Can you believe Hisana's getting married?" My shock was evident in my tone.

"Yeah," he answered, leaning his weight against the counter absently.

"I can't," I stated. "At least not this soon. I _knew_ he loved her, ever since the start. I mean, yeah, I doubted him for a second, but that's all. I just never expected him to propose after two weeks."

Ichigo didn't respond and when I looked up at him I saw him nod slightly, but he looked distracted. "You okay, Ichi?" I asked, causing a grin to spread across his face.

"'Ichi'?" he asked, obviously amused.

I returned the gesture. "Yes, Ichi. Does that bother you, Ichi?"

He laughed and slightly shook his head.

"Don't ignore my question, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered, his smile still present.

The casserole took longer than we anticipated to heat up, so our dinner was really late. Afterword we finished a few math assignments together, that time consisting of me trying to explain the complete concept of radicals to him. By the end of that hour he still didn't seem to understand. We watched a little television, the volume low so we could talk instead of pay attention. By ten-thirty Ichigo was dozing off on my bed, so I stepped out of my room to called Isshin and tell him that his son would just stay over for the night.

I was planning on waking Ichigo and leading him to the guest room, but when I returned to my room and saw him sprawled out over my bed, I decided against it. I sat next to him and ran my hand through his hair gingerly. I decided to stay up and wait until Hisana got home, excited to talk to her about her night.

_-:-_

Okay, so, sorry for the wait. There's chapter 14! :D Hope you enjoyed, please review! :3


	15. Chapter 15

Okay, so I'm back! :3 I know I haven't updated _Close To Home _yet, but that's because I wrote half a chapter and just got stuck. It really sucks, I love that story, but I'm having the hardest time actually writing for it. So, I'm just going to update this because I have this all planned out and I'm excited about it! :D  
Oh, before I forget. So, I don't know what to do about Byakuya's last name. Rukia and Hisana are both already Kuchiki's and Byakuya obviously is not in this story. Sooo, does anyone have a suggestion? Should I just avoid using his last name or should I make one up? Please, when you review, include an answer, I need an answer by next chapter. :) Thanks you guys, you're the best! :D  
So, here we go with chapter 15! :P

_-:-_

I heard the front door open at eleven-thirty along with incoherent whispers. My sister's heals clicked against the floor loudly, echoing in the silence. After a few minutes she closed and locked the door, her heals clicking a few more steps before she kicked them off loudly.  
Carefully, I slipped out of Ichigo's tight grip and kissed his forehead before heading toward the stairs. As I descended the steps I spotted Hisana in the opening of the kitchen. She noticed me and smiled.  
"Rukia, you should be in bed," she scolded. "When did Ichigo go home?" she asked, not giving me a chance to respond to her earlier statement.  
"He didn't, he's upstairs asleep," I answered, quickly getting to the real topic I wanted to discuss. "So, how was your night? Have fun?" I questioned, grinning at her.  
"It was...great. We had a nice dinner and just talked," she said, smiling also. Her excitment about getting married was evident on her face.  
I took a step closer to her and hugged her tightly. "Congradulations, Sana. I'm really happy for you," I said, tears stinging my eyes.  
Hugging me back, she answered, "Thanks, Ruk. I'm really excited."  
Laughing quietly, I said, "Yeah, I can tell." As I pulled away from her, I continued. "Byakuya better behave, or we're going to have a problem."  
She laughed and shook her head. "Trust me, you don't need to worry about that."  
We stepped into the kitchen and I sat at the table. Hisana stepped into the laundry room and out of sight. I heard her open the dryer and then some shuffling noises. A minute later she stepped back into the kitchen, now clad in red sweatpants and a gray, baggy, long-sleeved shirt. Her hair was was still down and curled, but she was pinning back her stray strand from the middle of her face. As she took a seat back at the table I smiled at her, causing her to return the gesture.  
"So, what have you and Ichigo been doing while we were gone?" she asked, leaning back in her chair absently.  
"Nothing much. Just doing some homework and watching some TV. And eating that casserole you made, which was awesome by the way," I answered.  
"Good, I'm glad," she stated. "How is Ichigo? How's his sisters?"  
"Great. Yuzu's been feeling so much better lately, she's gone to school every day in the last two weeks, she's so excited," I responded, smiling at the thought of Ichigo's little sister's enthusiasm. "And Karin's starting soccer again this summer."  
"That's so great! I'm so happy for them. What about Isshin? Has he found a job?"  
"No. He's had a few interviews this week, and two already called back and said that he didn't get it, but maybe he'll get the third one," I said, trying to be as optimistic as possible.  
"Hopefully," Hisana answered. "What about Ichigo though? Has he been eating more?"  
"Yeah, I'm making sure of that. Everytime I eat, he eats," I stated seriously.  
"The goal is to make him eat normally, we don't want him to get fat," my sister said teasingly.  
"Hey! I'm not fat!" I protested, knowing she was only kidding.  
"Yeah, I know, you're lucky. You're body doesn't know _how_ to gain weight."  
"Not true. _Anyway_, my point is that Ichigo is eating plenty," I said, smiling back at my sister.  
"And what about when you're not around?" she questioned.  
"Isshin gets on his case if he's not eating at the table and makes sure he has breakfast at home every morning. So we have nothing to worry about."  
"That's good. Poor Isshin was worried sick, but I don't blame him," Hisana said.  
"Yeah, he still is. He hates not having Ichigo home with him, but Ichigo's so sick of being stuck at his house," I continued, shrugging. "But I think Ichigo understands, he's not mad at him or anything."  
"Is Ichigo ever mad?" my sister questioned, smiling.  
"Yeah, he just doesn't know how to express it. Well, sometimes. Unless he's _really_ mad," I answered.  
"What does he do if he's really mad?" she asked, slightly cocking an eyebrow.  
"Throws punches. He may not seem it, but he can kick serious ass," I said, getting a stern look from my sister. "Well, it's true. I think he would have seriously hurt Renji if me and Mina hadn't intervined. But I think Renji would have really injured Ichigo too."  
"He's really that...strong?" Hisana asked, surprised.  
"Yeah. Hard to believe, huh?"  
Nodding, she answered, "Very."  
We sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments before Hisana pushed her chair back and stood. "It's late and I need to get some sleep. You should too, Sweety. School tomorrow," she said, heading toward the stairs. Before she reached the bottom step she turned around and smiled at me. "Good night, Rukia. Love you."  
"'Night, Sana, love you too."  
She continued up the stairs and went to her room, the door closing quietly. I shut off the kitchen light and the living room light before heading up the steps myself. Quietly, I cracked the door open and tip-toed in, making sure to close the door just as carefully. I quickly made my way to my bed and laid down, making sure not to disturb Ichgio.  
Laying on my stomach, I burried my face in my pillow and sighed tiredly. I heard Ichigo stir, so I turned my head toward him and saw him fast asleep, his mouth hanging wide open, causing me to smile widely. Carefully, I slid down and turned toward him, pulling myself closer to his still form. After closing my eyes I heard him shift again before feeling his arms wrap around me. Happy with the day's events, I allowed my smile to continue resting on my lips as I fell asleep.

_-:-_

A loud, continuous buzz filled the silence, affectivally waking me. I shot up in bed as best as I could, finding myself being restrained by strong arms. Strechting my arm out as far as it would go, I slapped the snooze button on my alarm clock and laid my head against Ichigo's shoulder. He hadn't woken from the alarm at all; his chest continued to rise and fall rhythmically. As I felt his steady breathing I almost allowed myself to fall back asleep, my eyelids falling, but I opened my eyes again and forced myself up, pulling away from Ichigo's grip.

Sighing, I dreaded trying to wake Ichigo, but I shook his still form carefully. "Ichigo...Ichigo, get up." Nothing. Sighing, I tried again. "Ichigo, please get up, we have to go to school." As I continued to speak to him, his eyes slowly opened and he looked up at me, a small smile crossing his features, I couldn't help but return the gesture. "Morning."

"G'morning," he returned, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"You sleep okay?" I asked, trying to remember if he had woken in the middle of the night at all like he had been the previous week.

"Yeah, great," he answered, sitting up.

"Did you wake up at all?" I questioned, making sure he wasn't just saying that.

"Nope, not once."

"Good, I'm glad. Well, let's get up before Hisana deems us late. You know how-" I began being cut off by an angry voice.

"Did you both sleep in here last night?" my sister demanded. I couldn't help but tense up at her tone.

Turning to meet Hisana's stern gaze, I said, "I didn't want to wake him-"

"You could have slept in the guest room. Or in my room, I wouldn't have cared." The deep glare on her face was so strange, I had never really seen her mad before. And for it to be over something like this, I was surprised. I was sure she'd understand.

"Hisana, we didn't do anything. I'm sor-" Ichigo began, also being cut off.

"Don't try to brush off the subject! You both knew how I feel about you two sleeping in the same bed! And you both disobeiyed me in my own home!" My sister's curt tone toward Ichigo pissed me off. I was okay with her scolding me, but she had no right to be that way to him.

"Leave him alone! It wasn't his fault, _I_ was the one who laid back in my bed when he was already asleep! And it's not like we had sex or anything, we _slept_!" I retorted angrilly.

Hisana stood there, glaring at us, silent. I took the chance to glance at Ichigo, noting his discomfort. He sat straight, nervously picking at his short fingernails. When I turned back at Hisana I saw that she noticed Ichigo's nervousness and decided to hold her tongue.

"Both of you, get ready for school. Rukia, we'll talk when you get home. You can ride the bus or walk today, I have places to go today," she said, slamming my door and storming off.

I turned back to Ichigo, not worried about the talk, although I was concerned about Sana's random mood swing. I noticed him still anxious and avoiding my gaze, causing me to feel bad for him being dragged into mine and my sister's fights. "Ichigo," I said, trying to get him to realize it wasn't his fault. It didn't work.

"I'm sorry I made her mad, I can go apologize to her-" he began, still looking down at his hands.

"Ichigo, it's not even your fault. Something's wrong with her, she's having some sort of problem or she's really just mad that we shared my bed. Either way, it wasn't your fault and she'll get over it. Come on, let's just get ready for school, okay?" I asked, standing and grabbing his hand lightly. He nodded and slowly stood also, still not returning my gaze. Sighing quietly I grabbed his other hand and stood directly in front of him, tugging on his arms carefully. "Ichigo, just don't worry about it," I said, finally getting him to look back at me.

"Okay," he answered quietly. I hugged him quickly and slipped out of the room, allowing him to change for school. I took the chance to approach my sister's door. Quietly my knuckles skimmed across the surface, creating a rasping sound just loud enough to get her attention. She opened the door and gave me a skeptical look. After a minute she stepped aside and allowed me go in.

"Look, Hisana, we really didn't do anything. I was tired, I just wanted to sleep. I'm sorry we broke your rule, but we didn't mean to disrespect you. It wasn't even Ichigo, it was me," I said, glad that she let me finish my explanation.

She continued to stare at me for a few moments before nodding, still looking a little agitated. "Alright, Rukia. I forgive you. Sorry for being so harsh earlier, but I really don't want to find that again. I know you didn't do anything this time, but next time you might. I'm not saying I expect that from you too, but it could happen. So please, just don't do that again. Next time wake him up or just go to the couch."

"Alright, can do. But, just so I know, do you not want us to...like...lay next to each other at all. Or just when we sleep? Like, can we lay on the couch and watch T.V., or would you rather us not?" I asked, not wanting to upset Hisana like that again. I knew she only wanted the best for both me and Ichigo.

"No, that's fine. I mean, I know you could easily have sex on the couch, but I hope you're not so careless to just do it in the living room."

"Okay, got it. Well, I gotta go get ready for school, talk to you later, Sana," I said quickly, very eager to get out of this conversation. I didn't give her another chance to continue our little chat before I walked out of the room and headed back to my room, getting ready for the long day ahead of me.

_-:-_

The day went by quickly. It was extremely hard to focus, all my thoughts were directed to my sister's upcoming wedding. All day I was distracted while trying to do every little task, even playing my cello. It would be a huge understatement to say that I was having an off day. And all this mediocre work just frustrated, causing me to have a pretty bad day. But right before Ichigo and I were about to head back to my house, we had quite the surprise.

I was waiting by the main doors when Ichigo said he was called to the office. I sighed and sat at the bench, telling him to hurry. He took about five minutes, talking to the office worker timidly, I could tell by seeing him through the thick glass doors. But when he opened the door and took a step out, that's when he got really nervous. And so did I. Renji approached him suddenly, seeming to appear from nowhere. He stood directly in front of him, but he didn't look angry, like I expected him to be (even though he had no reason to be).

Instead of embarrassing Ichigo and coming to his defense before there was an actual problem, I stayed seated and watched intently, not in the mood to deal with Renji's jack ass attitude. But as I continued studying them I saw both smile and noticed Renji's friendly manner toward Ichigo, as if they'd been best friends this whole time. Renji seemed to nod a goodbye and roughly patted Ichigo on the shoulder before walking away.

Confused, as I was expected to be, I anxiously waited while Ichigo took his time returning to my side. "What was _that_ about?" I demanded, unable to keep the grin off my face.

"He apologized," he answered, noting my surprise.

"For what?" I asked, obviously not believing him.

"For 'being such a dick'," Ichigo stated, using air quotes. "For fighting me, for not giving me a chance, I guess."

"Oh my gosh, that's awesome!" I exclaimed, excited to have my boyfriend and my best friend getting along. "So you two are alright?" I asked, making sure they didn't just agree to hate each other or something.

"Yeah, we're fine."

"That's so great, I'm so happy! You two made my day," I said, grinning up at him. He returned the gesture.

"Good," he answered, grabbing my hand and taking a step toward the door. "So, ready to go?"

"Hell yeah, I want to get home and help Hisana get some planning done!" I exclaimed, earning a laugh from Ichigo before we headed out the doors.

_-:-_

Okay, so. I'm really, REALLY sorry this took so long. I mean, it took me a total of like...two days to write, but I haven't been on in forever. One reason being trying to mix work and school, not working out for me. I like have no time for myself. Another reason, my computer's broken for the moment. Another, a lot of family drama right now, and my sister and I are right in the middle of it. So, I'm really sorry. I'll try to update sooner, but I really can't make any promises. :( I'll honestly be lucky if I can even finish this in the next few months.

Well, I hope you all enjoyed. Next is the wedding (I know, already! :D) and then a few more chapters and we'll be done. :( Well, please review, love you guys! :D

Sorry for this chapter's format. I tried to fix it, but I couldn't figure it out. :)


	16. Chapter 16

Okay, by request of _kurukurupa _I am beginning chapter sixteen. So, I apologize that it takes me so much longer to update. I haven't been able to update my other story in over two months, I think. Or maybe one, lol. Anyway, here we go, Hisana's wedding! Thanks again, _kuru_ for the encouragement! ;D

_-:-_

It only took Hisana and me a month to plan the wedding. With both Byakuya and my sister's budgets, money was not an issue and because we both have a pretty artistic eye, we were able to get everything done in almost no time at all.

About two weeks before the wedding was to take place Hisana had Ichigo and I sit down so we could "talk". Honestly, I was a little nervous; I had no idea what to expect. But when she grinned at us both, I calmed down.

"Okay, you two," she began, patting us both on the leg absently. "I asked Byakuya and he said it was fine, so. Would you two like to play for our wedding? Like, not during the service, but afterwords. During the reception. You can play any classical-type song that you know, anything slow and pretty will do. So, will you?"

I was honestly surprised she had asked us. All of the other aspects of their wedding was done by professionals: the photography, the food, the decorating. And she wanted _us_ to be such a huge part of it.

"Of course, I'd love to," I responded, honored my sister would allow such a thing.

"Great!" she exclaimed, her smile widening as she turned her attention to Ichigo. "Well, what about you?" she questioned.

He smiled slightly and nodded. "Yeah, sure."

"Awesome, you two play so well together!" she said, hugging us both simultaneously, surprising both me and Ichigo. As she pulled away, she started again. "Okay, so, I have another question to ask you."

"Oh, okay," I said, confused again.

"So, Rukia, you probably already knew this, but I wanted you to be my maid of honor," she said in a nonchalant tone.

"Uh...no, I didn't. Are you sure? I mean-"

"Of course I'm sure, you're my sister!" she exclaimed, laughing. "Anyway, well, Byakuya doesn't really have any family around here. And he doesn't really know people around the area except for guys he works with. So, he said he just wouldn't have a best man, but I asked him if it would be okay if Ichigo could do that," she continued, looking over at him.

Ichigo's eyebrows rose in surprise, causing Hisana's smile to widen.

"Will you? Please? It would mean so much to me if you would do it," Hisana persisted.

"Uh...I, uh...," Ichigo stammered, glancing at me for an answer, only receiving a smile.

"Of course we'll pay for your tux and stuff, so there's nothing financial that you have to worry about. Oh, please, Ichigo?"

After a brisk moment of silence Ichigo nodded slightly and said, "Yeah, sure," causing Hisana to hug him tightly.

_-:-_

The Big Day came so fast, which is expected when it's planned in a single month. Nonetheless, it was beautiful and pretty well organized. It was extremely helpful that neither Hisana or Byakuya were nervous about it. They both teased each other whenever running into one another, even on such a day. Their calm and laid back moods made it really easy to get the day going smoothly.

Not everyone was as laid back as the happy couple, though. The whole morning Ichigo seemed to be a nervous wreck. I noticed him pacing alone when he first arrived and was waiting for some directions. I thought it would be the perfect time to mess with him, assuming he was just bored. As I sneaked up on him and poked his back playfully he jumped and whirled around, an anxious expression masking his face.

"Sorry, sorry," I said, worry sinking in at his reaction. "Are you alright?"

Nodding he said, "Yeah, sorry..."

"Are you nervous?" I questioned; I hated seeing him like this. "About playing, I mean?"

He looked away in thought and opened his mouth, shutting it quickly to nod. "Yeah, that's it," he answered, looking back at me. Of course I didn't believe that completely, but I ignored it for the moment.

"Do you know where you're supposed to be?" I asked, absently grabbing his hands.

Shaking his head, he said, "Nope, no idea."

A small laugh escaped my lips. "Nice. Well, let's find Hisana and ask," I decided, pulling a hand away from him and taking my place at his side.

_-:-_

Standing in the entrance room of the church, I could hear the music start as Ichigo was suddenly at my side, our arms interlocked. He was in his tux, his dark purple tie clashing with his bright hair. I flashed him a small smile, but he didn't even glance my way; instead he focused on the task ahead and started down the aisle, our arms linked together.

Ignoring his strange behavior, I took my place at the front of the chapel, noting Byakuya's calm composure, and waited for the everyone else to join us. Then, Hisana emerged from the doorway, her never-ending train backed up behind her heeled feet. Her expression: pure joy. I watched excitedly as she came down the aisle, her grin growing wider as Byakuya came into view. Their eyes were glued to each others, both gazes never leaving the others face.

_-:-_

Sitting straight in my chair, my purple form-fitting dress restraining me somewhat, my right arm moved slowly with each whole note that my cello extracted. My left hand was searching for the correct notes while maintaining a lengthy _vibrato_. The piano's low humming whisper guided me through the last phrase of the song, Ichigo and I finishing simultaneously. A large group had surrounded us to watch and now clapped, causing Ichigo to look away, not enjoying the attention.

After noticing this, I sat my cello down carefully, my feet tucking under my chair as I placed my bow on my stand. "We're going to take a break," I informed the crowd as they waited for more. Slowly they dispersed and left to find something else to do. As I turned to Ichigo I noticed his foot tapping anxiously. Trying to distract him from whatever was making him so nervous, I stood and asked, "Wanna get something to eat?"

Without looking up at me, he nodded slightly and stood. "Yeah, sure," he said, following me toward the table holding our nameplates. After being surrounded by a crowd for so long I decided to give him some space and kept a little distance between us.

When we reached the table and sat he immediately leaned back in his chair and started bouncing his leg in anticipation, completely ignoring the meal in front of him. Cocking an eyebrow, I asked, "What's wrong? Aren't you hungry?" He was really worrying me, but I stayed calm and almost neutral.

Shaking his head, he avoided my gaze. "Not really, I feel a little sick," he answered.

"Oh, you still getting over some nerves?" I asked, telling myself he was still trying to relax after being in the center of that crowd.

"No...well, I don't know...I guess," he stated vaguely, still not looking at me.

I sighed quietly and decided I wasn't going to let Ichigo's weird behavior ruin my sister's wedding for me. So, instead of asking like I normally would have, I stood abruptly, pushing my chair away from the table forcefully and said, "We're going to dance, come on." I held my hand out to him, getting a surprised look. But still, he didn't move.

He slightly shook his head and began. "You should eat first, then we-"

"No, I want to dance _now_. Come. On."

Again, he was surprised, but this time he stood quietly, grabbing my hand. His hand was abnormally sweaty, his extreme nervousness surprising me. But I continued toward the dance floor, dragging him behind me. Honestly, I don't like to dance and I didn't want to make Ichigo more nervous, so I detoured to a near by door, leading to the entry way of the church. We could still hear the soft, slow music and no one could see us, so I pulled myself closer to him and absently began to sway to the rhythm. He did so also, still acting awkward even though we were alone.

I closed my eyes, just trying to enjoy myself and ignore Ichigo's behavior. But that didn't happen. Ichigo cleared his throat and slightly pulled away from me, his hand going to his pocket. "Rukia, I...uh," he started, his hand resting on my back beginning to shake.

"What, Ichigo?" I asked, looking up at him, my worry getting the better of me.

We stopped moving and were still standing close to each other. With my gaze intently on his face he looked away anxiously and tried again. "I uh...this isn't like...a...um..."

"Ichigo, tell me," I said sternly, trying to get him to just spit it out.

Instead of answering he opened his enclosed hand and revealed a small box. Surprised, I took a small step back and waited for him to explain. _He's not...He can't be..._

"See, this was a bad idea, never mind," he said quickly to my reaction and shoved the box back into his pocket. "I'm sorry, really," he begged for my understanding, his voice strained.

I shook my head absently. "Were you...going to _propose_ to me?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

He shook his head severely. "No, no! I wasn't, I just...," he trailed off. "I don't want us to like...break up...but...I know we're just in high school...so..."

Understanding sunk in along with relief. "So...it's like a different type of promise ring?"

He nodded.

"A promise to be...yours?" I questioned, not able to find a better way of wording it at that moment.

"Uh...sort of..."

A smile spread across my face as he answered, now flooded with relief and happiness. "And you couldn't explain that without practically causing me to have a heart attack?" I asked teasingly.

"Sorry," he answered, looking at his feet nervously.

"What Ichigo?"

"It's stupid..."

"No it's not, now give me that ring or whatever it is," I demanded, my smile growing.

A ghost of a smile graced his lips while he handed the box over. When the lid was popped open it revealed a small ring, a diamond resting in the center. A _real_ diamond; though it wasn't the biggest I had ever seen, but that was _not_ the point. My eyes grew wide as I returned my gaze to him. "...how did you get this?"

Shrugging he said, "Well, you're sister paid us in advance for playing today..."

"How much did she give you?" I asked, surprised he could afford this with how much she had given me.

"Enough to buy that," he said.

"Ichigo...you really should have bought something for yourself, or your family. The last thing you need to do is waste money on m-"

"It wasn't a waste," he said, cutting me off.

"...are you sure you don't want to return it?" I asked, my smile fading.

"Only if you don't want it."

I looked at the ring and nodded, knowing he wouldn't take it back. I smiled back up at him and said, "Okay, so. After high school or college or whenever you're ready, I can expect a proposal? A good one?" I questioned, my smile growing.

He returned the gesture and nodded timidly.

"Okay," I began, slipping the ring onto my slim ring finger. "It's a deal."

_-:-_

Okay, well, sorry it's so chopping, but I guess it was meant to be, lol. It made sense to me. Alslo, sorry for such a late update. I _still_ haven't updated for _Far Away_, so feel honored, I'm putting you all before my other readers, lol. Anyway, hope you enjoyed, next chapter will be a very big change of events.:) So, please review! :D


	17. Chapter 17

Okay, the goal: Finish this chapter in one night like I used to. I have homework, I have things I should be reading, but his is much more important to me at the moment. lol, not that school's not important, I just need to have some fun. Although, this chapter in particular will not be fun. :( Anyway, just read and find out! :D Here's chapter 17!

_-:-_

The day after Hisana and Byakuya's wedding I spent alone in our house, waiting for Ichigo to call me. Usually we spent Sundays together, we hung out at each others houses or went to the movies: anything. But he didn't call. And of course, when he didn't call, I did. Well, no one answered the phone. Of course it worried me, but I assumed Ichigo was just still embarrassed about his romantic gesture from the day before and decided to leave him alone.

My suspicion rose again when Ichigo missed school both Monday and Tuesday. And still, no one in the Kurosaki household picked up the phone or returned my calls. Of course I was worried, on the verge of panic. So after school Tuesday I walked to Ichigo's house, not having a ride because Hisana was still on her honeymoon. It took me a while to get there; I wasn't used to walking anywhere I needed to go, let alone a destination so far from my own home.

When I got to their house I saw Isshin's truck parked in it's usual spot. The curtains were drawn shut and the lights seemed to be off, but the large vehicle proved they were home; they had no other way to get anywhere unless they walked too. But I couldn't imagine where else they would be. I approached the front door and knocked loudly, listening intently for movement in the house. Sure enough, foot steps began to creak toward the door, which suddenly opened revealing Isshin. He had dark circles under his eyes, his exhaustion prominent in his expression.

"Isshin? Are you okay? What's going on?" I blurted out, my concern getting the better of me.

Looking away, he was silent for a moment before taking a step back and allowing me inside. "Ichigo hasn't told you," he stated, no question in his voice.

"Told me what? Isshin, what's wrong?" My anticipation grew.

He shook his head, tears forming in his eyes as he turned his head away from me. "Go talk to Ichigo, he needs you." With that he headed toward his room and left me alone. I had no idea what was going on, but I couldn't stand not knowing much longer.

I practically jogged to Ichigo's room, not knocking before barging in. The room was dark but I could still make out his curled up form on his bed, shaking. He didn't look up or even move when I came in. As I approached his side I could hear his shallow breathes as he sobbed, causing tears to flood my own eyes.

Kneeling, I said, "Ichigo, what's going on? What happened?"

He slightly sat up, his head still down, still crying. I grabbed his hand, which he squeezed tightly. He tried to regulate his breathing, but still he breathed in gasps. When he realized he wouldn't be able to gain any composure he said, "Yuzu's dead," returning to his prior position.

All I could do was join him.

_-:-_

The funeral took place a week later. The Kurosaki's, me, Hisana, and Byakuya were the only ones surrounding the casket as it began to lower into the ground. The minister stuck out like a sore thumb in our crowd of black in his off-gray suit.

The murmur of the minister's words were covered by the sudden downpour. We were all soaked within a minute, but no one tried to hide from it.

After the short ceremony was over everyone began getting ready to go home. We all began to leave the grave siting, the minister already in his car and driving away, but Ichigo didn't move at all. I stopped after two steps and watched him intently but his gaze stayed on the freshly turned dirt. Everyone stopped and looked at him. I took a step closer to him and grabbed his hand, yet he still didn't look at me.

Taking a step closer to us, Hisana said, "We're going to head home. Are you going to stay with them?"

I nodded and accepted a quick hug from my sister. She laid her hand on Ichigo's back understandingly, sorrow masking her face. "I love you guys, see you later." Then she left with her husband.

I stood in my place at Ichigo's side while Isshin and Karin waited in the car, shielding themselves from the rain. Our hands stayed intertwined tightly as Ichigo continued to mourn for his little sister.

_-:-_

When we got to the Kurosaki residence we all changed out of our soaking clothes. I borrowed a T-shirt and an old pair of sweatpants from Ichigo, which were still huge, but I didn't complain. After Ichigo changed into a pair of torn jeans and a hoodie we laid down on his bed. He stared at his ceiling while I watched him, concerned, my head resting on his shoulder.

Nervously I decided to ask him about it. "I...I thought she was doing better..." Still I kept my gaze on his face, noticing tears building in his eyes. He blinked them away absently before answering.

"She was."

"Then...what happened?" My voice was low; I was worried about how he would react.

"...she just...died," he answered after a short pause.

Tears flooded my own eyes as I pulled myself closer to him. "I'm so sorry Ichigo."

He nodded and laid his head against mine. "I know..."

_-:-_

Okay, so, I know this chapter is choppy too and quite short, but I just couldn't get any more out of it. And you all wanted a quick update. :) Well, here it is. Now there's only...two more chapters I believe. So, sad but at the same time, exciting. :D Anyway, that's it. Please review!


	18. Chapter 18

Okay, soooo, the second to last chapter. :( Boo.

Well, not much to say here but thanks for all the reviews and everyone who's been following this fic, whether from the beginning or they just joined it. :) It's always nice to get support, so thanks a bunch everyone. :3

Okay, chapter 18!

_-:-_

The first month after Yuzu's death was rough for everyone. Of course the remaining Kurosakis were miserable, none of them did much of anything: which is understandable. Isshin stayed home and gave up temporarily on finding a job in Karakura. Ichigo and Karin stayed home from school and stayed in Ichigo's room, never making a noise. Karin had explained that she couldn't be in her room because it was Yuzu's too, so Ichigo told her he would share his until she was ready to go in there again.

As for my home, well I wasn't completely sure. I stayed with Ichigo and his family every night, Hisana brought me additional clothes the day after the funeral. I called and talked with my sister a few times, but mostly I was taking care of the mourning family. I went to school occasionally when I thought they were having a good day, but mostly I stayed home with them.

About four and a half weeks after Yuzu's passing I was still staying with the Kurosakis. Isshin and his children were all locked in thier rooms like usual and I had just finished cleaning the kitchen when I heard the knock on the door. I headed toward the living room and anticipated someone from the school. Isshin had gotten a few calls about his childrens' "unacceptable absences". I was surprised when the door revealed my sister.

"Hey, Hisana," I started, forcing a small smile onto my lips. "What's up?"

"Nothing, I just came over to see how everyone's doing. Plus, I missed you guys," she answered, a slight smile on her face as well.

I nodded and stepped aside so she could come in. She did so, taking in the small room notingly, seeing Ichigo's home for the first time. Her eyes swept over pictures of the family on the wall, including Yuzu and Masaki; her eyes filled with sorrow. When she returned her gaze to me she pushed her emotions away and forced another smile. "How has school been, Sweety?" she asked, making me realize that it was after three O' clock already.

"Oh...Not sure. I haven't been in a week," I answered absently, sitting on the couch while Hisana joined me.

"Rukia, you can't just blow school off," she responded, only concern in her tone.

"I know, but I'll make it up. I can't blow them off either, especially when none of them are able to take care of each other." Leaning forward, I rested my elbows on my knees and laid my head in my hands.

"Yeah, I know Rukia, but if you needed any help why didn't you just call me?" she questioned.

"I don't want to bother you, you have a lot to work out now that you and Byakuya are married. The last thing you need to worry about-"

"Is my little sister?" she asked, cutting me off.

I sighed quietly, changing the subject. "How is Byakuya, by the way?"

"He's fine. He's been really busy with work these last few weeks, but he's dealing with it pretty well," she said, a sincere smile now on her face. I was so glad to see my sister so happy.

"That's good. Have you decided which house you guys are staying in?" I asked, glad to have an actual conversation after so long.

"We've decided that all _three_ of us are staying at our house. Byakuya stayed in an apartment and he has less stuff to move. I mean, his apartment would have been plenty big enough for all of us, but we chose the house," she stated, shrugging slightly.

"Cool. I didn't really feel like packing everything. And besides, we've lived there for almost seven years, it would be weird."

"I know, and he understands that," she stated, her smile widening.

I opened my mouth as I started to respond when we heard a door open. Both me and my sister stood and headed to the entrance of the kitchen, turning to the hallway. Ichigo stood at the end, looking back at us. He had stopped his movement at the sound of our creaky steps. It was dark but I could still see the exhaustion in his features; dark circles under his eyes and a neutral expression. He looked horrible.

"Hey Ichigo, how are you?" Hisana asked, taking a few steps down the hall.

He stared back at her, his expression staying blank. Instead of answering her he just nodded and took a step back absently.

"What are you doing?" I asked, concerned by his reaction.

"Nothing," he answered after a brief silence. Without another word he turned back toward his door and grabbed the doorknob.

"Wait, come here for a second," I said, causing him to stop. After turning and saying nothing for another short moment he approached us and waited for further instruction, obviously wanting to just go back to his room. "Sana's been worried about you, she wanted to see you," I said, unable to keep my concern out of my voice.

"Yeah, how are you doing, Sweety?" my sister asked, resting a hand on Ichigo's arm.

"I'm...," he began obviously not sure how to respond. "...I'm fine..."

Hisana realized he had nothing to say, so she didn't push him anymore. Instead she stepped in front of him and hugged him tightly. His arms stayed at his sides as he looked at me. I gave him a pleading look, wanting him to react for my sister's sake. He seemed to understand because a moment later he returned the gesture, absently leaning his head against hers.

She seemed to tighten her grip at his actions before letting him go and pulling away to look up at him. A few tears escaped as she formed a small smile. "How have you been?" she asked again while wiping the tears away.

He looked back at her, trying to act remotely normal. "I've been better," he answered honestly, surprising me.

Hisana took his hands absently and looked up at him, sympathy in her expression. "I'm really sorry, Ichigo," she said, obviously not sure what else she could say.

Nodding, Ichigo answered, "Thanks."

"Well, it was really great to see you guys, but I've got to go," she started, quickly hugging Ichigo again before stepping away from him and hugging me as well. "If either of you need anything, just call me, okay?"

We both nodded our silent replies.

"I love you guys," she continued, waving before exiting the house.

I turned my attention back to Ichigo. "You alright?" I asked, earning a small nod.

"Yeah, thanks," he said, sounding a lot better than he had for the last few weeks. He had gotten so depressed over the situation, for awhile he only mumbled short answers or gave brief gestures.

I nodded also and asked, "Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?"

"No, thanks."

Again, I nodded and stood silent in front of him, not sure what to say to him. He seemed to notice my awkward behavior, but instead of ignoring it like I thought he would he took a step closer to me and hugged me tightly. "Thank you, Rukia. For everything," he said as he laid his head on my shoulder and turned it toward me.

Surprised, I hugged him back and said, "You're...you really have nothing to thank me for."

"Yes I do, you've helped out me and my family so much," he answered

"Yeah, but...I did it because I wanted to. Besides, your family is my family. Or, they will be one day," I said, a smile finding it's way onto my face.

The skin of Ichigo's face brushed my neck as he smiled also. "Poor you," he joked. His smile quickly faded as he pulled away from me and stood up straight.

"You act like it's a bad thing," I said, maintaining my smirk.

"Trust me, if you lived with my father, under different circumstances, you'd understand," he answered, his tone still a joking one.

I laughed quietly before taking a step closer to him, canceling out the distance he had put between us. He noticed and smiled again as I took his hands, but again his smile vanished.

I understood, but I couldn't help being concerned. He seemed to notice and frowned slightly. "Sorry," he responded.

"Don't be," I answered, hating that he was feeling guilty about something he couldn't help.

"I'm acting weird, it's bothering you," he mistakenly explained.

"I'm not bothered at all. I'm just worried. But you have reason to act a little different, Ichigo. You're grieving," I answered, squeezing his hands gingerly.

He nodded briefly. Still, I felt the need to continue. "Ichigo, are you going to be okay?"

His answer was exhausted. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I know it doesn't exactly seem like it, but it's just...going to take time. Just like when my mom died."

I nodded, understanding, yet my thoughts were still flooded with concern. Noticing this, he carefully pulled his hands away before hugging me again. "Really, don't worry about me, or any of us. We'll be fine," he continued as I wrapped my arms around his waist. It was quiet for a moment before he said, "How much work did I miss at school?"

The question surprised me, but I answered. "A lot. Mostly math and English though. We can start on it whenever you want."

"Well I was thinking we could just go to school tomorrow. When we get home we can start working on catching up."

"Oh...Okay," I answered, relief flooding me. I smiled up at Ichigo, getting a wide grin in return. "I love you, Ichigo."

Leaning forward he pressed a light kiss to my lips before saying, "I love you, too."

_-:-_

Okay, so. I'm sorry if this chapter was a little weird. I know Ichigo's behavior changed quite drastically in such a short time, but that's just how I imagined it being. Because, it's like being around Rukia and having her sort of force conversation out of him would like...do that? Ha ha, sorry, I'm really not sure how to explain it. :3

Anyway, wanna hear something sad? One more chapter. :( I'm really, reallllllly sad...

Okay, so please review and let me know what you think. :) Thanks for reading!


	19. Chapter 19

Okay, so, last chapter. :( Sad. But, I'm really, really excited about this one because it's a time jump! :D Exciting, I think, ha ha. :)

Okay, anyway, I'm sorry if any of you don't like the strange last scene in chapter 18 as the last one before the time skip, but that's the best I could do. :) Sooooo, here it is, final chapter.

_-:-_

_5 years later:_

I pulled into the oh so familiar driveway carefully, keeping a safe distance from my sister's black vehicle. Even after finally learning to drive three years ago, I still had a hard time parking.

Taking the keys from the ignition, I popped the door open and exited my car, my purse hanging over my shoulder lazily. I kicked my shoes off and threw them into the passenger's seat, glad to be rid of them. Even one-inch heels effected me now a days.

While approaching the front door I stopped mid-stride, my feet sighing in the cool grass. Peering into the small window I saw my lanky husband, standing in the living room, holding my niece lovingly. The little girl had so many distinct features, each obvious as to which of her parents she got them from; her large, violet eyes matching my own and Hisana's, her long face identical to Byakuya's, and her dark, silky hair from both, which laid on her small shoulders in a messy fashion.

I took three more steps, reaching the front door and opening it. This got their attention immediately. A grin crossed Ichigo's face right away as I approached him. "Hey, Rukia," he greeted me before leaning down and kissing me lightly on the mouth.

"Hey," I answered, turning my attention to the three year old watching us. "Hi, Murasakura*****, how are you?" I asked, grabbing her hand carefully.

She smiled and hid her face in Ichigo's shoulder, causing him to laugh quietly. He poked her side, getting a high pitched giggle in return. I loved seeing him with her, with any child really. He was surprisingly good with kids. Even though I had seen him with his sisters many times, seeing him with toddlers and babies reassured me about having children in the future.

And at the mere thought of children, my hand founds it's way to my stomach, resting on the slight bump. And what always followed that habitual movement was a wave of panic about how the next six and a half months were going to be, but it only lasted a second. Then I saw Ichigo's behavior again, and it passed.

"Rukia! You're here!" my sister's voice rang as she stepped into the living room. "How was practice?" she questioned while giving me a quick hug, referring to the Karakura Symphony practice I had just arrived from.

"It was okay. It was really hard to keep everyone together without our usual pianist," I answered, giving Ichigo a teasing look. He returned a small smile, but stayed quiet.

"Don't give him any trouble, he babysat. He was doing me a _favor_," Hisana intervened, patting Ichigo's arm absently.

"I'm just messing around. Besides, Ichigo's not the only one who effected the practice. It was practically silent without Renji and Mina."

"Where were they?" Hisana questioned, absently playing with her daughter's raven hair.

"The kids are sick. They both have the flu, they were throwing up all night," I answered, carefully taking a seat on the couch.

"Aw, poor babies," she said.

"Poor Mina and Renji," I answered, leaning back against the couch, sighing tiredly.

Murasakura's short arms opened toward her mother eagerly. Hisana responded by taking her daughter from Ichigo's grip carefully. Ichigo patted the girl's head before taking his seat next to me on the couch. When he settled next to me I rested my head against his arm, grabbing his hand tightly.

"So, how have you two been lately? Holding up okay?" Hisana asked, rocking Mura carefully. She was referring to our surprised reaction to my pregnancy. It wasn't planned and it definitely wasn't expected to happen so soon.

I shrugged slightly before answering. "We're fine, I guess. More excited than panicked now, I think."

"That's good, I'm glad. But why are you still worried? I know it's a lot to take in, you've only known for a few weeks, but still. It seems like a great time to me," she continued.

"I'm just annoyed that I'm going to have to miss so many symphony practices, and the next two concerts that are coming up. I really don't want to miss it," I said, agitated.

My sister laughed before saying, "You act like the Symphony is your job." Her tone was teasing, but it still caused me to roll my eyes.

"It's important to me. I just don't want to give it up, even for a few months." As I answered Ichigo wrapped an arm around my slim shoulders, pulling me closer.

"I know, Sweety," my sister said, sympathy in her voice.

It was silent for a moment before the door opened, revealing Byakuya. "Daddy!" Murasakura shouted. As soon as Hisana sat her down she headed toward him, not stopping until she crashed into his legs.

Laughing quietly, Byakuya leaned down and picked her up, pulling his daughter up to his shoulder. "Hey, Mura," he responded quietly, earning a tight hug from said girl.

"Welcome home, 'Yakuya," my sister said, stepping his way and standing on tip-toe to kiss him.

"Hello," he answered, a wide smile on his face.

"How was your day?" she continued happily.

"Fine, thank you," he responded in his usual low tone.

Hisana only nodded in response before leading him to the opposite side of the couch as Ichigo and I, gently pushing him so he was sitting, Mura in his lap. She remained standing, heading toward the kitchen, her bare feet lightly thumping against the floor. Stopping suddenly she turned and faced us again. "You two staying for dinner? I made plenty," she asked, obviously wanting us to agree. The sun was beginning to sink into the horizen, rays of light entering through the window behind the couch, drowning my sister in orange.

"Yeah, sure. But we have to get to bed early tonight. We have to go to the doctor in the morning," I answered. "So we're not staying till midnight like you usually get us to do." Smiling up at my sister, I knew she realized the teasing hint in my voice.

"Yeah yeah, okay. I'll let you go home a little early, I guess," she answered, also joking. Taking another step toward the kitchen with her gaze still on us she continued. "Well, dinner is served, come on." With that she happily disappeared, the sound of the oven door squeaking open echoing her footsteps.

I waited for Ichigo to stand before holding a hand out to him. He smiled and helped me up, earning a "Thank you". Byakuya stood as well and we all headed for the kitchen.

As we had dinner I realized how much my life had changed and how much I was missing before all these people had become a part of it. When it was just me and my sister, we weren't at all like a family. We rarely talked because we didn't think we had anything in common. Then Ichigo showed up and made it very clear that we were just making excuses, and he didn't even do anything. All he had to do was be Ichigo to make us realize. And because we became closer, Hisana became so much happier.

That happiness was multiplied a thousand times for her once she started seeing Byakuya. When I saw him for the first time I honestly didn't see it lasting past the third date, but they both saw a lot in each other. Having him as a brother-in-law was great, but seeing him as my sister's husband was better. And not only did he make my sister happier, but he helped me become an aunt! Not just fun, but very beneficial. I love Murasakura, but she's really like a practice kid for me and Ichigo, except when we mess up we have both Hisana and Byakuya to correct us.

And then there's Ichigo. Before I met Ichigo I never allowed myself to get close to anyone: my sister, my friends, not even my so-called best friend. But after meeting him I realized what it was to actually connect with people. He saved me from being alone, because the way I acted toward people, that's surely where I was headed.

After we finished eating and talked for about an hour, Ichigo and I were heading home. Ichigo was driving our car as I sat back in my seat and relaxed. It was silent, excluding the soft hum of the radio. The silence was very comfortable.

Suddenly Ichigo spoke up. "Can we stop at Dad's before we go home? He wanted me to go over there today."

"Why?" I asked.

"I don't know, he didn't say. He just told me to stop by sometime today, but I forgot about it until now," he answered, his voice quiet as he focused on the road. Ichigo had become a much more careful driver since we found out I was pregnant. He was always careful before, but now he was just paranoid, never allowing his eyes to leave the scene in front of him.

"Alright, that's fine," I answered, leaning my head back against the seat again. Within the next ten minutes we were pulling into Ichigo's father's driveway.

The house was in much better shape than it was when I first met Ichigo. We finally got around to fixing it up about three years prier. We were a few years late to our promise, but it got done. That's all that matters.

The lights were on, causing shadows to dance across the wall. As we approached the house I noticed it was Isshin's shadow; he was sitting in the living room.

I walked in with Ichigo following, not bothering to knock. We never did. As I entered the room Isshin stood quickly and hugged me tightly, grinning. Though I was used to my father-in-law's behavior, I did not expect this. That is until I remembered that this was the first time seeing Isshin since we found out about me being pregnant.

"Dad, calm down, you'll kill her," Ichigo demanded, honestly concerned.

After releasing me, said man grinned at his son. "I can't help it, I'm so excited! I'm going to be a grandpa!"

Rolling his eyes, Ichigo tried to ignore his father, but was soon being restricted in one of Isshin's painful hugs as well. "Dad, let me go!" he continued, sounding as though he had a hard time breathing. I laughed in spite of knowing how it felt.

"Isshin, let him go. If you kill him, I'll have to raise the kid alone, and trust me you don't want that. I don't think I can keep the baby alive more than a week without Ichigo's help," I joked, crossing my arms over my chest absently.

Releasing his son, Isshin apologized again, still claiming to be overly excited. As he continued to rant Karin came into the room. She looked so much older, even if it had only been a few months since I had seen her. Her hair, which she started growing out a few years before, was now half way down her back, laying straight. She had grown a few more inches, very close to being around her brother's height.

"Dad, leave them alone," she said, a small smile on her face. She directed her smirk to Ichigo and I, allowing it to grow. "Congrats, you two."

"Thanks," I said, returning the gesture. "Are you excited to be an aunt?"

"You bet. What about you? You excited about being a mom?" she questioned, seeming to sense my nerves.

"Yeah, I guess," I said, shrugging slightly. "More worried about how the poor kid's going to hold up, but you know."

"Shut up," Ichigo said quietly, nudging me.

I only laughed quietly and changed the subject. "So, how's your senior year going?"

"Great so far. I'm the captain of my soccer team this year," she answered. "And my grades are decent."

"Don't listen to her, her grades are excellent, just like Ichigo's used to be. That is until he got so distracted," Isshin commented, causing his son to roll his eyes again, along with his daughter.

"My grades were fine when I met Rukia," Ichigo responded defensively.

Laughing, Isshin slapped Ichigo on the back before saying, "I know, I'm just joking."

"Whatever. Anyway, what did you want?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" his father asked.

"Why'd you have me come over here? You said it was important."

"I wanted to see you two," Isshin answered, his grin growing.

"That's it? Couldn't you have been more specific? Like 'Come over when you have the time' or 'You should drop by sometime soon.' Not telling me you needed me to come over and it had to be today," Ichigo stated, obviously annoyed. Usually Ichigo was a pretty patient person, but when it came to his father it was a different story.

"I'm sorry, Son, I just thought you planned on visiting your lonely old father at lease once every six months," his father answered seriously.

Sighing quietly, Ichigo apologized. "I'm just busy," he said, guilt clear in his answer.

"Well, don't worry about it," Isshin responded, patting his son's back again and allowing his grin to return to his face. "But I did want to ask you something. Me and Karin were going to go down to the cemetery next weekend to visit Masaki and Yuzu. Did you two want to come?"

"Yeah, we don't have anything planned for Saturday morning. That'll be good for us," I answered, absently grabbing Ichigo's hand.

"Okay, that'll work. Great!" Isshin said enthusiastically.

"Well, if you don't need Ichigo's help with anything, we better get going. We have to get up early tomorrow for a doctor's appointment," I continued, taking a step back toward the door to illustrate our hurry.

"Okay, we wont keep you," he answered, stepping closer to us and giving both me and Ichigo and tight hug. "Love you guys, drive safe."

"Love you, too. We will," I answered, turning my attention to Ichigo's little sister. "Bye Karin," I said, waving with my free hand.

"Bye Rukia, Ichigo," she answered, returning the gesture.

As Ichigo and I headed back to our car I smiled up at him. "I really love having a father, you know it?"

He laughed before asking, "Why? I mean, when it's mine, that is."

"Shut up. You know your dad's a good father," I said, causing him to nod. "Besides, I've never known what it was like before I met you. I really feel like his daughter."

"He really considers you one," Ichigo answered, getting into the driver's side as I slipped into the passenger's seat.

"Good, I'm glad," I stated while we headed down the road.

We both fell silent again as Ichigo slipped his hand into mine. After a moment of the silence Ichigo asked, "Rukia, are you really that nervous about having the baby?"

I sat quietly, thinking my answer over. "Well,...yes and no. I'm not that nervous about having the baby, or even taking care of it, but when I was talking about not having you around I was being serious. I know you're not going anywhere, but the thought of trying to raise our baby without you...panics me. I mean, even the thought of you eventually going back to work after I've had it and having to be alone with it. It's going to depend on _me_, only me, all day. That scares me."

Ichigo nodded slowly, still looking forward. After a brief silence Ichigo began. "You shouldn't be. You'll do fine."

I sat silent again, waiting for him to continue and soon realized he wasn't going to. "Wait, that's it?" I asked, causing him to cock an eyebrow. "That's your pep talk? 'You'll do fine'?"

He nodded, still not glancing at me as he focused on the road ahead of us. "That's all there is to say. You'll be fine. I know it'll take getting used to, but by the time I go back to work, you'll know what to do. You have no reason to worry." He spared me a glance, a small smile on his face. "Better?"

I returned the gesture and squeezed his hand. "Surprisingly enough, yeah. That helped."

"Well, good."

He pulled into our driveway carefully, taking the keys from the ignition and turning back to me. "I love you, Rukia."

"I love you, too."

_-:-_

Oookay, so. I'm sorry this took me so long. :3 But I believe it was okay. I somewhat liked it. But yes, sadly, this is the end. This is it. Exceeeeeept. I believe I promised you all a surprise. Weelll, go the the next chapter! :D You're welcome!

*This is a name I came up with for their daughter. I mixed the word murasaki, which means violet or purple in Japanese, and sakura, which means cherry blossom as most of you know. I mixed them so her name would mean purple (or violet) cherry blossoms. :)


	20. Chapter 20

Okay, so this is a bonus chapter that my sister gave me the idea of. I'm writing this super early, I still have about nine chapters to go before I can post this, but I'm so excited about it that I can't resist! :D So, here's the _real_ last chapter of _The Sharps and Flats of Life_, the bonus chapter. It's all for you, Sis! ;P

Oh, and by the way, this chapter is not going to be in Rukia's point of view like the rest of the story. She is actually not in this chapter, ha ha. :)

_-:-_

_ Byakuya's POV:_

Saturday, I had a business meeting. Because the client was such a devoted customer I decided to keep it mild and hold the meeting at a local coffee shop. We had already ordered our drinks and were seated at a booth near the back of the building. As the meeting progressed and the client acted like he wanted to wrap it up, I spotted a short, thin woman enter the building.

She had dark hair that framed her pale, heart-shaped face, a section glued to the center of it. Her large eyes were light violet, shining brightly with interest as she stared into the glass box holding shelves of pastries. Her thin frame folded as she waited in line, kneeling to get a better look at her options, a small hand running over the clean glass in thought.

The sight of the small woman brought a smile to my face. I had lost all focus on the meeting's end and the client didn't seem to notice, busy with a phone call. I kept my eye on the feminine stranger, willing myself not to stare. She had ordered a cup of coffee to go and was leaning down to point at the specific muffin she wanted. As she explained her order to the man at the cash register her hand holding the Styrofoam cup tilted to the left, the lid popping off. Hot coffee splashed the floor, about half of her cup now gone.

Startled, she stood up straight and apologized to the cashier hastily. Standing, I headed toward her, excusing myself while heading toward the front counter to help clean up the mess. She was knelt down again, a soaked napkin in hand as she scrubbed the floor. Right as I approached her she stood and her hand hit my arm, knocking the remains of her coffee on my suit.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, immediately grabbing a fresh napkin and trying to wipe away the liquid on my clothes, only spreading the dark stain.

Laughing quietly, I said, "It's fine, really."

"No, no, let me pay for this! I'll replace it, I promise!" she continued, her voice panicked. "Hisana, how many times are you going to do this?" she questioned herself angrily under her breathe.

"Really, it's not a big deal-"

"Yes it is! I'm _so_ sorry!" She continued scrub a napkin against my shirt, a clean one in her hand.

While she continued to work on cleaning the suit, I pulled a five out of my wallet and ordered another cup of coffee with two creams and one sugar. She looked up at me, cocking an eyebrow.

"Please, you don't have to replace that, it was my fault. I was being so clumsy, really-" she started before I interrupted her, a smile on my face.

"Who said it's for you?" I questioned, my smile growing as the cashier handed me the cup and the change.

"O-oh, you're right. I'm sorry, I just assumed-"

Laughing quietly, I continued. "I'm just kidding. Here." As I held the cup out to her she just stared at it, blinking as her hand stopped moving against my shirt.

"Bu-...I...Really, you don't have to-"

"I already bought it, just take it," I said, forcing the cup into her hand carefully.

"Th-thank you, I...I'm so sorry about your suit. I'll pay to get it cleaned! No, I'll get you a new one, I promise!" she started ranting hysterically again.

I ignored her panicked voice and grabbed a dry napkin from her hand carefully, pulling a pen from my jacket's pocket. As I clicked the pen open, she quieted down and stared at me, her bright eyes showing her curiosity. I quickly scribbled down my number and slipped the pen back into my pocket, holding the napkin out to her. "My name's Byakuya. Why don't you call me?" I asked, smiling down at her confidently.

"But...Uh, to...get your suit size?" she questioned, her face beginning to darken a shade.

"No, not about the suit. I can get another one, it's not a big deal."

"Then...?," she said, letting her sentence trail off, forming a question as she did so.

"Then, I'll answer," I said, causing her eyebrows to knit together.

"Okay...and then...what?" she asked, her confused expression causing me to laugh again.

"Then we'll talk. Maybe we can have coffee sometime," I stated, rising my shoulders absently.

She soon understood and the color in her face darkened immensely as she nodded ferociously. She looked a lot younger with such an embarrassed expression on her face, it was cute. "O-okay...okay. Sure. That sounds...fun." She obviously didn't like her response, looking even more embarrassed. "I-uh. I have to go. Thank you for the coffee, and I'm really sorry about your suit. I h-have to go!" she exclaimed, grabbing her muffin off the counter and flashing me a shy smile before heading toward the door, bumping into a couple as she left. She apologized immediately, gave me another embarrassed smile, and left.

I wasn't sure what it was about the strange, beautiful woman, but I found myself extremely interested. I watched her leave, having a feeling I'd be seeing her again soon.

_-:-_

Okay, so that was the short bonus chapter showing how Byakuya and Hisana met at the coffee shop. It was an idea my sister gave me, so thanks Sis! :D But yeah, I thought maybe you guys might want to know how their relationship started. I wrote this before I was even remotely close to being able to post it, so I'll be working hard to get the rest done. But...by the time you read this it'll be over, lol. :) Anyway, hope you enjoyed the whole story, please review! :D

Ha ha, I also wrote that forever ago! :D Well, like I said, thanks for everything! Please review and tell me how both chapters were! :) I'll look forward to all your reviews for my next IchiRuki fic that I'll be working on right away!


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